Announcements

Call for applications: ICANN Board Seat 14

Issued by the Non-Contracted Parties House (NCPH), GNSO
Deadline: Friday, 09 January 2026

The Non-Contracted Parties House (NCPH) of the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) invites applications for ICANN Board Seat 14, for the upcoming term beginning during the ICANN Annual General Meeting in October 2026 (ICANN87). Seat 14 is jointly appointed by the NCSG (Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group) and CSG (Commercial Stakeholder Group), which together form the NCPH.

This call is issued in accordance with the NCPH Operating Procedure for Board Seat 14 Appointments, which outlines the timeline, search committee responsibilities, interview process, and evaluation. 

Procedures available here: Annex 7-NCPH Election Procedures for Board Seat 14.

About the Appointing Bodies

The NCSG represents civil society, academic, human-rights, technical, and Internet-governance participants engaged in non-commercial use of the Internet. The NCSG focuses on protecting privacy, freedom of expression, due process, and equitable access to its mission emphasizes protecting privacy, freedom of expression, due process, and equitable access to the DNS. It includes:

• Non-commercial Users Constituency (NCUC)

• Not-for-Profit Organizations Constituency (NPOC)

The CSG represents businesses and trade associations that rely on the DNS for commercial activity. It includes:

• Business Constituency (BC)

• Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC)

• Internet Service Providers & Connectivity Providers Constituency (ISPCP)

Together, NCSG and CSG form the Non-Contracted Parties House, the NCPH is responsible for jointly appointing the Board Seat 14 director.

Eligibility Requirements

To ensure geographic diversity consistent with ICANN’s Bylaws, applicants must be from outside North America. If an interested candidate is a citizen of more than one country or if a candidate has been domiciled for five or more years in a country of which they are not a citizen, the candidate may designate any one such country for geographic diversity purposes. It is the candidate’s obligation to designate that country in their Statement of Interest.

Preferred skills:

• Demonstrated understanding of ICANN’s mission, policy processes, Internet related issues and multistakeholder governance.

• Accomplished persons of integrity, objectivity, and intelligence, with reputations for sound judgment and open minds, and a demonstrated capacity for thoughtful group decision-making;

• Strong familiarity with the gTLD program, particularly in light of the upcoming 2026 round of new gTLD applications.

• Ability to avoid conflicts of interest and maintain independence—especially in relation to human rights, the new gTLD round, registry services, brand applicants, or consulting work associated with the program.

• Proven leadership, governance, or public-interest service experience.

• Experience serving on Board(s) with a preference for service on Boards with a budget similar to ICANN’s.

• Commitment to the time and travel obligations required of ICANN Board directors.

• Persons who are able to work and communicate in written and spoken English.

Additional Qualifications

• Management Experience: The ICANN organization has approximately 450 employees, operates globally, and has an annual budget approximately US$150M. Experience with and understanding of organizations of comparable size is highly desirable.

• Commitment: Board members must have the ability to focus on the execution of ICANN's Mission with an emphasis on transparency, accountability, excellence, efficiency, effectiveness, and empathy.

• Collegiality: Board members should have the necessary experience and temperament to work closely and comfortably with a diverse set of people within the Board, organization, and community. They should be committed to cooperation and consensus-building, and able to remain poised in the face of criticism and other stressful situations.

• Knowledge: Board members must understand the role and function of the ICANN Board as distinct from ICANN management, the role of the ICANN community as distinct from the Board, and a commitment to the limit of ICANN's remit as outlined in the Bylaws. It is preferable that they possess a basic technical understanding of the Internet architecture and protocols, including the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority functions.

Role Expectations

ICANN Board Directors are responsible for the strategic oversight of ICANN and the DNS ecosystem. Directors must:

• Maintain strict independence from stakeholder influence or capture.

• Make informed decisions on complex DNS, technical, legal, and policy matters.

• Engage deeply with community-developed policy processes.

• Approach the 2026 new gTLD round with objectivity and diligence, ensuring fairness, transparency, and compliance with ICANN’s Bylaws.

• Participate in Board committees, strategic planning, and ICANN’s accountability structures.

• Must meet the requirements of the job description.

Application Materials

Applicants should submit:

1. Statement of Interest (max 2 pages) describing qualifications, 

• motivation,

• vision 

• Experience, skills, background that you feel are relevant to serving as Board Member

• Any conflict of interest (activities or compensation with ICANN for you or a family member)

2. CV or résumé.

3. Eligibility confirmation (residency and/or citizenship).

4. (optional) Two references familiar with your governance, technical, legal, or public-interest work.

5. (Optional) Relevant publications, policy work, or community contributions.

Appointment Process

The NCPH will follow the approved Board Seat 14 Operating Procedure, including:

• Formation of a Search Committee

• Candidate vetting and interviews

• Evaluation and narrowing of the candidate pool

• Deliberation to come to consensus 

• Joint appointment by NCSG and CSG

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interviews.

Please note that shortlisted applicants may be interviewed by each SG separately. 

How to Apply

Submit all materials as a single PDF to: Andrea Glandon (andrea.glandon@icann.org) and Devan Reed (devan.reed@icann.org).

Subject line: Application – ICANN Board Seat 14

Deadline: Friday, 09 January 2026

Late or incomplete applications may not be considered.