Chief Registry Officer

The organisation

Reseaux IP Europeans (RIPE) was founded in 1989 when a group of IP network operators based in Europe began a series of regular meetings to share experiences and carry out technical coordination work for IP networks. As the community grew and the work load intensified, the RIPE Network Coordination Center (NCC) was established in April 1992. In January 1998, the RIPE NCC 
became a legal entity.

The RIPE NCC is a not-for-profit membership organization founded on the belief that the Internet should be governed openly, transparently and together with the wider Internet community. The company is one of the oldest Internet organizations in Europe.
As the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Europe, the Middle East and parts of Central Asia and Russia, the RIPE NCC provides Internet number resources, such as IPv4 and IPv6 address space and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) to its members (ISPs, governments, universities, etc.). 
They also offers other information services related to the technical coordination of the Internet. Their  strongest asset is their staff. RIPE NCC brings together more than 160 people from more than 38 countries in a modern, vibrant office in the east wing of Amsterdam Central Station. They also have an office located in Dubai, where 4 of their colleagues are located.

The official working language is English, but the colleagues speak more than 30 languages. Their backgrounds are diverse, but their goal is the same: work for the good of the Internet. 

The Team: Registry Area
The international team of 41 colleagues is responsible for some of the RIPE NCC’s key services: 
distribution and management of Internet number resources, implementation of community policies, providing support and knowledge to our members and the wider Internet community.
RIPE NCC is at the forefront of Internet developments. If you’ve been following the industry closely, you will know that the remaining IPv4 address pool has been exhausted. This means that in this position, you will be part of a transition towards managing the lifecycle of IPv4 space rather than the distribution of IPv4, and towards the growth in the IPv6 adoption. will have a 
leading part in ensuring that the Internet registry remains as strong and accurate as ever.

The position

The RIPE NCC is looking for a Chief Registry Officer to lead the strategic direction and development of its core Registry function. The company is looking for someone with vision who can drive the Registry’s development and inspire a team of over 40 skilled professionals. The role will be responsible for overseeing activities that are crucial for the success of the organisation and for 
maintaining its position at the heart of the Internet.

Reporting to the Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, the position will lead the international and experienced Registry area in a unique, not-for-profit organisation that has a significant impact on the Internet. 

As Chief Registry Officer, you will be accountable for the strategic and tactical leadership of the Registry, which consists of the Registration Services team, the Member Services team and the team responsible for Registry Monitoring. 

The purpose of this role is to drive and implement the Registry strategy. You will oversee the Registry operations to ensure an up-to-date and accurate registration of unique Internet Number Resources for RIPE NCC’s service region. Also, you will direct Regional Internet Registry (RIR) initiatives and you actively collaborate with the other RIRs. Due to the prominence of this role and its importance to the organisation, RIPE NCC also expects that you will be able to convincingly deliver the company’s vision to members, community and other audiences.

Tasks & responsibilities

As Chief Registry Officer you will be responsible for leading and coaching an organisational area with more than 40 professionals with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. Your direct reports will be three department leads, each managing their own team. Your role is to lead and coach the people reporting to you and help them grow and be successful in their job. As an experienced leader you know how to engage and inspire the team, lead them through change processes and facilitate self-management within the policies and procedures. You are an important player in stakeholder management, in particular regarding the Internet community and RIPE NCC members and decisions affecting the Registry and the impact it has on them.

In this role you will also:

• drive forward and execute the RIPE NCC’s strategy and objectives. Collaborate with other leaders to embed and communicate the strategic plan and budget. Align the assigned area’s objectives with the organisation’s business strategy;
• lead the Registry’s day-to-day business and performance. Identify areas for improvement and initiate actions for the optimisation of service levels and architecture;
• advise and support the Managing Director/CEO and RIPE NCC Executive Board on information and communication matters related to developments in the Registry. You manage the different stakeholder expectations and ensure stakeholder input is addressed;
• act as an advising partner to the Executive Management Team regarding topics affecting the organisation;
• ensure compliance with existing policies and procedures in line with EU legislation;
• ensure definition and delivery of a portfolio of programs, projects and/or ongoing services that support the RIPE NCC strategy and objectives;
• manage and control the financial resources used in the provision of services and ensure compliance with all governance, legal and regulatory requirements;
• in collaboration with other RIPE NCC departments, liaise with the Regional Internet Registries;
• represent the organisation’s membership engagement and outreach activities to the RIPE community, including presenting Registry updates to the company’s membership;
• govern and oversee the innovation processes that support the membership and broader Internet community;
• responsible for people and the performance management of direct reports and indirect reports. Ensure the overall resource management of the Registry and decide on hiring employees, consultants and contractors.

Candidate profile

• Ten years’ experience in a leading role in a complex, multicultural environment;
• strategic management, vision, and the ability to create objectives, processes and planning;
• innovative mindset and ability to inspire others;
• ability to develop, manage and monitor financial plans and forecasts;
• ability to prioritise effectively, manage organisational changes, and handle crisis situations;
• experience with formal audits to ensure compliance with organisational standards for activities, processes, data, products and services in line with EU regulations and legislation;
• ability to deal effectively with pressure;
• demonstrable experience in a coaching leadership style and HR-related responsibilities;
• excellent communication, presentation, project management and influencing skills on all seniority levels;
• fluent in English;
• strong interpersonal, relationship-building and networking skills with the ability to handle conflicts effectively.

Interested?

You are invited to apply for this position by using the form below.