CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

• Contribute to advancing and protecting a critical national asset

• Embed operational excellence, including the handling of a licensing scheme

• Shape and deliver on strategy in a dynamic and innovative environment

About the organisation
.au Domain Administration Limited (auDA) is a not-for-profit organisation established by the Australian internet community to oversee the operation and management framework of the trusted top-level .au domain. auDA is endorsed by the Commonwealth Government to ensure the .au domain is an open, secure, accessible and trusted Australian public asset for all internet users.  Under the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act 2018, auDA has been declared as the entity that is critical to the administration of the Australian domain name system. auDA represents Australia’s interests internationally and has an agreement with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the international body responsible for coordinating the Internet’s naming and numbering systems

About the role
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief Operating Officer (COO) has responsibility for oversight of an increasing range of specialist operational functions, currently including information technology and security, domain name system (DNS) operations, .au licensing administration, and project management across the whole organisation. This includes managing, monitoring and continually improving all related operational processes to global best practice, and ensuring a high level of service to the Australian Internet community. With a new CEO commencing in January 2025, the appointee will contribute to the crafting of the 2026 to 2030 Strategic Plan. This will require balancing continuing to strive for excellence in core functions, with driving innovation in areas such as the strategic adoption of AI, establishing a research and development capability, identifying additional services, and developing regional technical and operational leadership support for Pacific region country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) managers. To meet the needs of the new strategy, auDA’s next COO will embrace the opportunities of an evolving role. Supporting the CEO, the position is also key in building relationships with external stakeholders spanning government to the local and international internet community. Critical to success will be nurturing auDA’s values-based culture, fostering innovation and continuous improvement, and mentoring and coaching the team.

About you
You are an accomplished and authentic operational executive leader with experience gained in complex, sensitive and high-volume environments, which may include critical infrastructure providers, sectors responding to technological advancements, or telecommunications and digital economy organisations and similar. Experienced at contributing to, and executing on, long-term strategic plans, you find solutions to multifaceted and future-defining challenges. You have proven abilities in managing large and complicated projects, and a record of delivering milestones in a timely way, complemented by your pragmatic and effective approach to change management. As an approachable communicator with well-honed interpersonal skills, you are effective in cultivating relationships with a range of stakeholders. A hands-on leader, you motivate and nurture team members, and value innovation and champion continuous improvement. You relish the opportunity to apply your operational leadership capabilities, deep experience and outstanding people skills in protecting and advancing this critical asset for all Australians.

To apply, click ‘Apply for this job’, submitting your resume in Microsoft Word format. For more information prior to application, please email David Pleydell at SHK on david.pleydell@shk.com.au quoting job 9545. Direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to SHK.