Policy Development Support Specialist

ICANN; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Benefits

Remote work possible

Travel opportunities

Job summary

ICANN in Washington, DC, seeks a Policy Development Support Specialist to advance ICANN’s mission by supporting the Security and Stability Advisory Committee and related groups. The role combines research, policy writing, and meeting facilitation.

You will draft papers, coordinate working groups, translate technical content for diverse audiences, and manage multiple projects in a cross-cultural, international context, including travel.

Qualifications

• Ability to conduct independent research to verify, contextualize, and strengthen working group deliberations and report development.
• Strong written English with ability to translate technical content for non-specialists.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research on technical and policy issues related to the DNS.
• Draft background papers, agendas, and presentations for working groups.
• Establish and manage working groups; assist chairs with note-taking and tracking actions.
• Coordinate and facilitate in-person and virtual meetings on technical policy issues.
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested.

Skills

Research & analysis

Policy writing

Communication

Project management

Multistakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Office software

Job description

Job Summary

The Policy Development Support Specialist (“Specialist”) supports the advice development work of the ICANN Security and Stability Advisory Committee that advances ICANN’s mission of preserving the security, stability, resilience, and interoperability of the Domain Name System (DNS). The Specialist may also support the Address Supporting Organization, Root Server System Advisory Committee, and Root Zone Evolution Review Committee. The Specialist reports to the Senior Director, Technical Policy and Advice in the Policy Development Support Function.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

• Conduct research on technical and policy issues related to the DNS.
• Draft background papers, prepare agendas and presentations for working groups, and edit final publications as needed.
• Establish and manage working groups, assisting chairs with smooth facilitation, note-taking, and action item tracking.
• Coordinate and facilitate in-person and virtual meetings and deliberations on technical policy issues.
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

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

Research And Analytical Skills

• Able to conduct independent research to verify, contextualize, and strengthen working group deliberations and incorporate findings to support report development.
• Demonstrated ability to identify the substantive core of complex discussions across a high volume of information and competing perspectives.
• Demonstrated ability to critically evaluate sources, including assessing credibility, relevance, and technical authority.

Communication Skills

• Excellent policy research and writing skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated ability to:

• Synthesize collaborative group discussions and deliberations into clear and structured written outputs.
• Translate highly technical content into accessible language for non-specialist audiences and vice versa.
• Navigate multistakeholder environments.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport and effectively collaborate with team members and global stakeholders.
• Experience working collaboratively in a cross-cultural team environment with international stakeholders.
• Experience delivering clear and concise presentations to diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with editorial best practices and style guides.

Project Management

• Excellent time management skills with the ability to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently on projects with minimal supervision.

Technical Knowledge

• A basic understanding of how the Internet works.
• Experience analyzing policy implications of Internet technologies is not a prerequisite but will be viewed favorably.
• Ability to learn and utilize standard office software applications as necessary.

Education and Experience Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Master's Degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of five years of experience with a Bachelor's degree.
• Three years of experience with a Master's degree.
• PhD with no experience.

Languages

• Fluency in English is required.
• ICANN is a global organization that values diversity; preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated skills in additional languages besides English.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

• International travel may be required to support ICANN-related meetings as requested for lengths of seven to 10 days for each trip, approximately three times per year, likely on different continents.
• Comfortable with an international work environment that requires availability at times outside local business hours.
• Comfortable working from home and occasionally working from an office.
• Self-motivated and able to complete work with little supervision.

Targeted Base Salary Low

$60,000 + 10% Bonus + Benefits

Targeted Base Salary High

$82,000 + 10% Bonus + Benefits

Note

The salary range provided here is a general estimation for the position at the time of posting based on the primary location. Salary ranges vary based upon geographic regions and countries. Final compensation packages take into consideration of a variety of factors including but not limited to a candidate’s location, work experience, knowledge, skills and other compensable factors.