.ZADNA Internet Governance Co-ordinator Vacancy 2026

Opportunity Overview

The .ZA Domain Name Authority (.ZADNA) is a statutory entity responsible for regulating and managing South Africa's internet namespace, dotZA (.ZA). Established under Chapter X of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 25 of 2002, .ZADNA's primary role includes licensing and regulating .ZA registries and registrars, as well as developing and implementing policy guidelines for the sector.

.ZADNA is seeking to appoint an Internet Governance Co-ordinator for a 12-month contract period. This position is central to coordinating and providing administrative support for .ZADNA’s Internet Governance (IG) processes and programmes. The role also involves taking overall responsibility for coordinating Internet Governance training and reporting activities.

Minimum Requirements

• Relevant NQF level 6 qualification in Social Science, Law, or IT.
• Total experience of 4 years in the ICT sector, specifically DNS.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in ICT/Internet Governance, policy, or research (strong preference).
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in project management.
• Minimum of 2 years working with multi-stakeholder entities.

Required Competencies (Skills, Knowledge & Behavioral Attributes):

• Knowledge of policy development.
• Expertise working with human rights defenders, journalists, advocates, and/or marginalized populations, and ideally with internet freedom communities.
• Understanding of gender-sensitive programming and approaches to civil society engagement.
• Thought leadership in public discourse.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize shifting workload.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Superior analytical and writing ability.
• Superior communication and presentation skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and monitor advocacy strategies to advance South African Internet Governance objectives within different legal and regulatory environments.
• Provide expertise on digital rights policy issues, including freedom of expression, data protection, privacy, access to information, and surveillance.
• Maintain currency in trends and technologies affecting digital rights policy issues and their mitigation strategies.
• Engage in local, regional, and international Internet Governance events.
• Consult and assist stakeholders on Internet Governance policy challenges.
• Analyze current global Internet Governance trends and produce thought pieces and approaches to address challenges across the internet freedom community.
• Develop policy briefs to address global, regional, or country-specific Internet Governance challenges.
• Develop the annual South African Internet Governance report.
• Develop and maintain up-to-date Internet Governance briefing and communications materials.
• Support ZAIGF and stakeholder meetings and events.
• Play a leading role in supporting and developing public engagement strategy about internet policy, internet governance, and technology policy.
• Maintain and contribute to a database of “promising practices” in stakeholder engagement.
• Contribute to the development of strategies for ensuring that best practices in stakeholder engagement are identified and institutionalized.
• Collaborate closely with the PR and Awareness Officer.

What the Work Involves

As the Internet Governance Co-ordinator, you will be deeply involved in the intricate world of internet policy and regulation. Your day-to-day tasks will encompass a blend of research, policy analysis, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement. This includes monitoring global trends, drafting policy briefs, and producing reports that inform .ZADNA's strategic direction regarding digital rights and internet freedom.

You will be instrumental in supporting and coordinating various Internet Governance events, both locally and internationally, and developing communication materials to inform stakeholders. A key aspect of the role involves building and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders, requiring culturally sensitive communication and mediation skills. You will work closely with the PR and Awareness Officer and report directly to the Executive Manager: Compliance & Regulations, contributing to a dynamic and policy-driven office environment located in Midrand.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should forward their CVs, supported by a cover letter, via email to:

Email: recruitment@zadna.org.za

The application deadline is Tuesday, 16 September 2025.

.ZADNA is committed to increasing the representation of previously marginalized groups.