“At SIDN, you get to work with the latest proven technology”
Pulling together to assure the strength of .nl
A strong, secure and reliable .nl domain that’s always available. That’s what we’re tasked with delivering for Dutch society. “With that responsibility comes a healthy pressure,” says SIDN’s CEO Roelof Meijer. “Because it’s vital that people, organisations and governments can rely on us. Although it isn’t a commercial enterprise, SIDN is a professional organisation where people are given responsibility, and where we secure results together.” Roelof Meijer and our Corporate Recruiter Inge Loeff talk about working at SIDN.
Taking on technical challenges for a strong .nl
Every member of SIDN’s 100-strong workforce makes a unique contribution to the .nl domain. Each of them working within their own specialism and team, such as Legal, Business & Support and SIDN Tech. “Our technical professionals work with the latest cloud technology now available, which has proven its flexibility and stability,” says Roelof. “A lot of the technical work is absolutely central to .nl, so there’s a lot of pressure. It’s therefore essential that we have the right expertise.”
At the moment, the biggest technical challenge we’re engaged with is the replacement of our registration system and the partial migration of our technical infrastructure to the cloud. “We’re in the process of building Hello Registry, a new registration system that’s being developed in partnership with Canadian registry CIRA,” explains Inge. “The new system will serve as a platform for delivering registry services to other registries. And we’re currently looking for a Sales and Marketing Manager with experience of our sector to promote those services.”
National and international collaboration
At SIDN, there’s a good chance that you’ll be working with partners in the Netherlands and other countries. “Most collaboration is virtual, but sometimes people work on site,” adds Roelof. “For example, quite a lot of our people are members of joint SIDN-CIRA teams. Or have combined roles, because of involvement in projects at our research unit, SIDN Labs. The Labs team also works closely with universities and technical partners, as well as with SIDN Fund – the foundation through which we invest in innovative internet projects that make the internet in the Netherlands stronger.”
World-Class Workplace
As a registry, we want to continue leading the way in terms of the performance of our core tasks for .nl. “It’s therefore very important that all of us have a real commitment to SIDN and to .nl,” stresses Roelof. “When all’s said and done, we’re a single, unified team working on one of the most secure, innovative and trustworthy domains in the world.” That sense of commitment is fostered right from the start of the job application process. Applicants are interviewed twice, with prospective team members present. And we keep the process moving briskly: each candidate gets a reaction inside 2 days.
Equally important is making sure everyone enjoys their work. With that in mind, we run an annual staff satisfaction survey. In November, those efforts were recognised with accreditation through the independent World-Class Workplace scheme. Feedback from the satisfaction survey is translated into concrete improvements, such as open sessions at which staff can give their views on strategic topics. Their input is then factored into our decision-making. “Our latest satisfaction survey showed that people really like that approach,” says Inge.
Professional development
At SIDN, you’re responsible for your own personal development. “That means asking your colleagues to assess your performance, so that you know where you need to improve,” Inge adds. “It also means you can put yourself on a promotion pathway if you want to grow towards a role with more responsibility.” In addition, we encourage our people to take education and training courses that support their development goals, as explained by our HR Manager Joanna Bonjernoor in this article. Training is also provided whenever certain knowledge or skills are needed to work with the (cloud) technologies we use.
Responsibility and the freedom to choose how you work
In our stewardship of .nl, we take our responsibility to the nation very seriously. And we attach great importance to professionalism, flexibility, collaboration and work satisfaction. “For example, we regularly organise team activities, we have a thorough induction programme, and we facilitate hybrid working by making sure people have everything they need for an office at home,” says Inge. “That’s part of the comprehensive compensation and benefits package we offer. We provide an excellent working environment at our offices as well. The modernisation of SIDN Tech is now almost complete, bringing that department more into line with our flexible, creative and future-oriented working philosophy.”
Fancy working in the world behind .nl? Check out our vacancies at www.sidn.nl/en/work-at-sidn.
