New gTLD Program Senior Manager

New GTLD Program Senior Manager

Job Summary : The New gTLD Program Senior Manager is a key position within ICANN's new gTLD Program, reporting directly to the Outreach & Digital Inclusion Director. This role plays an essential part in supporting ICANN's strategic objective to evolve the Internet's unique identifier systems and promote global digital inclusion through the implementation of the Next Round of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs). The Senior Manager will support broader new gTLD Program efforts to prepare ICANN, applicants, vendors, and the multistakeholder community for the Next Round and future application rounds. This includes coordinating cross-functional initiatives, supporting strategic planning, and contributing to organizational and stakeholder readiness. As part of these efforts, this role will help drive change management activities by supporting the implementation of new processes, facilitating alignment across stakeholder groups, identifying potential risks or resistance, and ensuring clear, consistent communication to support adoption and continuity. These efforts are essential to ensuring a smooth and effective rollout that aligns with ICANN's mission and commitment to inclusive participation. In between new gTLD Program application rounds, the Senior Manager will support Program team and organizational development in-line with ICANN's strategic objectives and goals, with an eye towards fostering the changes necessary to promote continuous improvement. The ideal candidate is an experienced professional with strong organizational, communication, and analytical skills, and a proven ability to navigate complex, global, and multistakeholder environments with professionalism and discretion. Experience in change management, including implementing frameworks, engaging diverse stakeholders, and supporting adoption of new processes or systems, is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities & Duties : The role will support broader new gTLD Program efforts to prepare ICANN, applicants, vendors, and the multistakeholder community for the Next Round and future application rounds. This includes : coordinating cross-functional initiatives, supporting strategic planning, contributing to organizational and stakeholder readiness, driving change management activities by supporting the documentation and implementation of new processes, facilitating alignment across stakeholder groups, identifying potential risks or resistance, ensuring clear, consistent communication to support adoption and continuity. In between application rounds, the Senior Manager will help identify and mobilize the resources and capabilities needed to progress on ICANN's strategic objectives and goalsincluding how future rounds need to evolve to best contribute to those objectives. This work will include : facilitating cross-functional collaboration to coordinate resources and capabilities in service of relevant strategic objectives, supporting internal and external stakeholder input and analysis on continuous improvement over future application rounds, shepherding the changes necessary across internal and external stakeholders, to deliver on identified areas for improvement, contributing to the creation and maintenance of program documentation that aligns with ICANN's mission, multistakeholder model, and commitment to inclusive participation. Other duties as assigned or requested.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) : Proven leadership and program management skills; able to guide cross-functional teams, manage resources and timelines, and deliver results across fast-paced, global environments. Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities; experienced in assessing risks, driving change, and aligning diverse stakeholders around shared goals. Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal; capable of translating technical or policy details into clear, actionable content for executives, teams, partners, and global communities. Skilled in building relationships, fostering collaboration, and socializing new ideas and processes across departments, stakeholder groups, and regions. Experienced in coordinating complex initiatives, monitoring and reporting program status, and ensuring accountability to senior management and stakeholder groups. Adaptive, detail-oriented, and professional; effective working independently and collaboratively, with discretion in handling sensitive or confidential matters.

Education and Experience Requirements : Bachelor's Degree required; Master's Degree preferred. Minimum of 10 years of related experience or Master's degree with 6+ years of experience. Prior experience working for an international organization, strongly preferred. Proven experience contributing to large, cross-functional programs, ideally within policy-driven, technical, or multistakeholder environments. Demonstrated success in leading or supporting change management initiatives, including process implementation, stakeholder engagement, and issue resolution. Skilled in creating stakeholder-facing materials that translate complex technical or policy details into accessible, actionable content. Experience working across global time zones with culturally diverse, distributed teams to deliver successful program outcomes. Familiarity with ICANN processes, Internet governance, or global digital inclusion initiatives is an asset. Preference for candidates with multilingual abilities in addition to proficient written and spoken English.