VP, Policy Development & GAC Relations

Job Summary:

ICANN’s Policy Development Support Function provides services to ICANN’s community structures (e.g. Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees (SO-AC)) to support their effective development policy or advice, and maintaining their participation and operations in accordance with ICANN’s Bylaws and relevant procedures.

The Vice President, GAC Relations is the primary relationship manager and strategic lead for ICANN's engagement with the Government Advisory Committee (GAC). This senior leadership role leads a global team, ensuring the GAC's effective participation, policy/advice development, and operational alignment with ICANN's Bylaws. The VP is also responsible for developing and executing complex, cross-functional organizational projects that advance ICANN's global policy and community engagement goals.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

GAC Relationship & Policy Leadership

• Serve as the chief liaison and primary point of contact between ICANN and the GAC, particularly the GAC leadership team.
• Facilitate the GAC’s policy agenda setting, strategy, and work plan execution, providing expert advice to support the GAC's development of policy advice.
• Mediate and drive collaborative results among diverse, complex, technical, and political stakeholders to achieve consensus.
• Identify, communicate and work to mitigate risks or issues to prevent adverse consequences.
• Provide written and verbal executive briefings and strategic advice to the Board of Directors, CEO, and senior management on GAC matters.
• Represent the organization publicly and make presentations to community gatherings.

Strategic & People Management

• Serve on the Policy Department leadership team, contributing to organizational strategy, decision-making, and representing the function on cross-functional initiatives.
• Direct and manage a global team of staff, providing guidance, direction, and professional development.
• Manage a significant budget and resource allocation to ensure the successful delivery of ongoing projects and services.
• Identify, develop, and supervise resources and programs that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of ICANN community groups in their policy and advice work.
• Lead the development and implementation of significant, complex, cross-functional organizational projects and programs that support ICANN's policy development and/or community engagement efforts.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

(Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions)

• Expert Knowledge: Deep understanding of the Internet, the Domain Name System (DNS), and ICANN's policy framework.
• Diplomacy: Exceptional negotiation, influence, and mediation skills, with a track record of resolving complex, high-stakes challenges across diverse cultural and political backgrounds.
• Team Leadership and Management Experience: Proven success in senior leadership and managerial roles, including guiding, motivating, and developing personnel.
• Portfolio Management: Demonstrated ability to manage and oversee a complex portfolio of projects, activities, and services concurrently, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, producing high quality deliverables, and meeting desired timelines.
• Transparency & Accountability: Commitment to working productively in a highly visible and transparent environment where all proceedings are recorded and shared publicly.
• Analytical Reporting: Ability to prepare and deliver detailed technical reports, presentations, and speeches to internal and external international executive level audiences.
• Strategic Partnership and Organizational Alignment: Ability to build trusted relationships at senior levels and across functions, ensuring high-quality collaboration and prioritizing the overall success of the organization.
• Strategic Agility and Judgment: Proven ability to navigate ambiguity, remain flexible and pragmatic in changing conditions, and demonstrate sound judgment and perseverance when faced with complexity.
• Organizational Compliance: Strong capability in adhering to relevant organizational processes and procedures, and the ability to competently use prescribed management and collaboration tools or software.
• Innovation and Curiosity: Track record of continuous learning, improvement, and thoughtful experimentation of better ways to work.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Experience: Minimum fifteen (15) years of relevant experience in national or international policy development, implementation, or government relations.
     This must include at least seven (7) years of people and/or program management experience.
      Prior international experience is required.
• Significant exposure to executive management and a board of directors is strongly preferred.
• Education: College degree required; an advanced degree (e.g., Public Policy, International Relations, or a related field) is highly desired.
• Language: Fluency (written and spoken) in English is required. Fluency in any other official United Nations language is strongly preferred.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• Work is performed in a normal office (or remote) environment with limited privacy and some exposure to background noise
• International travel is required to support ICANN-related meetings as requested for lengths of 7–10 days for each trip, approximately three times per year, likely on different continents, plus some additional travel.
• Comfort level with an international work environment that requires availability at times outside normal business hours