Director of Policy and Advocacy - auDA

Director, Policy & Advocacy - auDA

• Lead policy development and advocacy shaping Australia's internet future in a global context
• Influence government  regulation and facilitate multi-stakeholder policy outcomes
• Strategic leadership opportunity with a nationally significant, purpose-driven organisation

About auDA

.au Domain Administration Limited (auDA) is the administrator of Australia's .au domain name system (DNS), a critical component of the nation's communications infrastructure relied upon by internet users in Australia and internationally.

As a not-for-profit, community-based organisation endorsed by the Australian Government, auDA plays an important role in ensuring the secure, stable and reliable operation of .au while championing an open, free, secure and interoperable internet for the benefit of all Australians.

auDA's purpose is to connect Australians to an open internet with trust and confidence. Its responsibilities extend beyond domain administration to developing transparent and responsive .au policies, supporting multi-stakeholder internet governance and contributing to national and international policy discussions.

Guided by its 2026–30 Strategy, auDA is strengthening its capability across four strategic pillars — Trust, Innovation, Impact and Capability — to respond to an increasingly complex digital, technological and geopolitical environment.

About the Director, Policy & Advocacy Role

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director, Policy & Advocacy is a senior leadership opportunity responsible for shaping auDA's internet policy development,  advocacy and advisory based in internet governance principles across domestic, regional and international environments.

The appointment comes at an important time as auDA evolves its organisational structure and repositions its policy and advocacy capability. With the Internet Governance function positioned as a core function within Operations, the Director will play a central role in establishing clear policy priorities, strengthening engagement with industry, community and government, and developing a high-performing policy team.

A particular focus will be advancing auDA's influence on Australian legislative and regulatory developments affecting the digital economy. This includes emerging issues relating to cybersecurity, privacy, online safety and digital duty of care, scams prevention, artificial intelligence and the security of critical infrastructure.

The Director will lead multi-stakeholder policy development processes relating to the .au licensing framework and broader internet policy matters, ensuring that auDA's positions are evidence-based, practical and responsive to the needs of Australian internet users.

The role will also represent auDA contributing to global internet governance processes through various forums to develop and influence on auDA’s policy positions.

Working closely with the Chief Operating Officer, Executive Leadership Team and Board, the Director will provide high-quality advice on emerging legislative and policy issues, establish productive relationships across community, government, industry and technical communities, and lead the development of auDA's policy and advocacy capability.

About You

You are an accomplished policy and advocacy leader with demonstrated experience analysing complex legislative and regulatory issues, developing evidence-based policy positions and influencing meaningful policy outcomes.

You bring substantial experience leading policy development processes involving diverse stakeholders, balancing competing perspectives and translating complex technical, regulatory or legislative matters into clear and practical advice for senior decision-makers.

Importantly, you have a demonstrated ability to work with industry and advocate for changes to national legislation and influence government policy development. You understand how to engage effectively with policymakers, regulators, industry representatives and other stakeholders to build consensus and achieve outcomes.

You are a confident and credible communicator, capable of preparing high-quality policy submissions, strategic briefings and recommendations for executives, Boards and government stakeholders. Your approach combines intellectual rigour, sound judgement and an appreciation of the practical implications of policy decisions.

As a leader, you are collaborative, curious and outcomes-focused, with experience building capability, developing teams and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. You are comfortable navigating complex stakeholder environments and engaging constructively with differing perspectives.

Experience in  internet technology, digital regulation or critical infrastructure would be highly regarded, however, specialist internet governance expertise is not essential. Candidates with strong transferable policy development and legislative advocacy experience, together with the ability to work effectively with technical subject matter experts, are encouraged to apply.

Experience influencing international policy would also be advantageous.

Relevant tertiary qualifications in public policy, law, political science, international relations, technology or a related discipline are desirable.

Hazel Executive is pleased to be partnering with auDA on the search and appointment of this senior leadership opportunity. All direct and third-party applications will be forwarded to Hazel Executive.

Hazel acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work and pays respect to Elders past and present. Hazel is committed to equal opportunity and to championing diversity, inclusion, belonging, flexibility and accessibility in all executive appointments. If you require any adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please let us know so we can support you.

Please apply via the Hazel Executive website.

For a confidential discussion, please contact Jarrod McLauchlan, Managing Partner, on 0407 808 517 or Jodi Heath, Partner, on 0459 997 007.