The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) organization (org) is seeking Expressions of Interest for the Chair and Chair-Elect of the 2023 Nominating Committee (NomCom).
Expressions of Interest, which will be maintained as confidential, should be sent to NomComChair2023@icann.org no later than 9 May 2022. A suggested form for submitting an Expression of Interest is available here.
The NomCom Chair is responsible for organizing the NomCom in its activities to select certain ICANN Board members and individuals who will serve in key leadership positions within ICANN's Supporting Organizations (SOs) and Advisory Committees (ACs) in accordance with ICANN's Bylaws. The Chair is a non-voting member of the NomCom selected by ICANN's Board to serve until the conclusion of the next ICANN Annual Meeting.
The Chair-Elect, a position created as a result of an independent review of the NomCom, is not intended to fill an advisory role. Rather, the Chair-Elect will receive the benefit of training while serving alongside the Chair, gaining skills and knowledge to be applied for the Chair-Elect's anticipated succession into the role of the Chair.
Candidates for Chair-Elect should possess the same skills as candidates for the Chair.
In September 2021, the ICANN Board appointed Michael Graham as the 2022 NomCom Chair and J. Damon Ashcraft as the 2022 NomCom Chair-Elect. (https://www.icann.org/resources/board-material/resolutions-2021-09-30-en#1.b)
Article 8, section 8.3(d) of the Bylaws states,
"It is anticipated that upon the conclusion of the term of the Chair-Elect, the Chair-Elect will be appointed by the Board to the position of Chair. However, the Board retains the discretion to appoint any other person to the position of Chair. At the time of appointing a Chair-Elect, if the Board determines that the person identified to serve as Chair shall be appointed as Chair for a successive term, the Chair-Elect position shall remain vacant for the term designated by the Board."
Further, the NomCom evaluates the performance of the current NomCom leadership to support the continuous improvement of its accountability and transparency. The results of this evaluation will be made available to the Board Governance Committee (BGC) before it makes a recommendation to the full Board on the 2023 NomCom leadership. These reviews will be conducted by an independent, third-party provider and will consist of interviewing other NomCom leadership, NomCom members, and designated NomCom staff. The BGC will use the outcomes of these reviews in their processes leading up to the Board's formal appointment of the 2023 NomCom Chair and Chair-Elect.
Position Description
The Chair position blends time management and negotiation skills with the practical aspects of conducting a worldwide search for individuals to fill various ICANN leadership positions. The NomCom Chair will be called on to schedule, organize, and lead numerous in-person and telephonic meetings with a large committee of community members.
The NomCom Chair is responsible for managing the candidate identification and statement of interest process with other committee members. The NomCom Chair will also manage the due diligence to be performed on nominated candidates, in cooperation with ICANN's General Counsel and any retained outside firm(s). Throughout all NomCom activities, the Chair is responsible for ensuring that all NomCom operating rules and procedures are followed, and that all required documentation and reports are prepared in a timely fashion and provided to the proper parties as necessary.
Skills and Experience
To properly serve as the NomCom Chair, the selected individual must have:
- Adequate time available to undertake the role
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills to manage a committee of 20-21 members
- A clear understanding of the duties and responsibilities of each position for which the NomCom is selecting candidates
- Experience on or with a Board of Directors of organizations with similar scale, scope, and diversity as ICANN
- Strong organizational and leadership skills
- Ability to remain unbiased
- No conflicts of interest
- A thorough understanding of and ability to satisfy all criteria set forth in ICANN's Bylaws relating to the NomCom
(See http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#article8.)
Specific Duties and Responsibilities
- Plans and schedules NomCom meetings as required, including ensuring posting schedules for public review
- Appoints the non-voting Associate Chair, if so desired
- Reports to the ICANN Board and the community on status of the NomCom
- Prepares and publishes the NomCom report
- Ensures that NomCom operating rules and procedures are followed
- Manages the NomCom Selection Process, including:
- Approves outreach and advertising methods for attracting candidates
- Conducts outreach with ICANN Stakeholder groups, Constituencies, ACs, SOs, (with Chairs of those groups), ICANN Board, and others
- With other committee members, reviews and evaluates candidate Statements of Interest (SOIs) and references submitted during the NomCom process
- Coordinates due diligence on nominated candidates in cooperation with ICANN org General Counsel's office and any outside firm(s) retained to perform due diligence activities
- Approves posting of NomCom announcements and schedules on ICANN org's website
- Ensures NomCom records are properly established, maintained, and archived
Eligibility Exclusion
No person who is an employee of or is a paid consultant to ICANN org (including the Ombudsman) shall simultaneously serve as a member of the NomCom, including the post of Chair or Chair-Elect.
Expenses
All reasonable travel expenses and administrative costs incurred as a result of performing the duties as NomCom Chair or Chair-Elect, in accordance with ICANN org's policies, will be reimbursed by ICANN org upon the Chair or Chair-Elect's submission to ICANN org of valid receipts and invoices.
Expressions of Interest
Expressions of Interest, which will be maintained as confidential, should be sent to: NomComChair2023@icann.org no later than 9 May 2022. A suggested form for submitting an Expression of Interest is available here.
For more information about the NomCom see here.