Job Description

Background

Timor-Leste, as a developing nation in Southeast Asia, has made significant strides in promoting digital transformation across various sectors of governance. With the increasing global dependence on technology, digital governance has become crucial in fostering an inclusive, transparent, and effective public service delivery system. In line with this, the Government of Timor-Leste has recognized the need to accelerate the digitization of its public services and enhance digital literacy across its population, particularly in remote and underserved areas.

The Dalan Digital Project aims to strengthen the digital infrastructure and services in Timor-Leste, promoting digital citizenship and enhancing the government's capacity to deliver public services digitally. The project's overarching goal is to contribute to the creation of a more digitally empowered society, where citizens can access essential services through innovative, efficient, and secure digital platforms. In this regard, Dalan Digital will focus on promoting digital inclusion, improving the quality of public services, and enhancing transparency in government processes.

The project aligns with Timor-Leste’s national strategies, including the Timor Digital 2032 Vision, which sets a roadmap for leveraging digital technologies to foster economic development, social inclusion, and governance reforms. The Dalan Digital Project also complements ongoing initiatives under the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of State Administration and the Ministry of Justice to bring public services closer to citizens and improve institutional capacity in the public sector.

In addition to fostering digital transformation within the government, Dalan Digital aims to strengthen public-private partnerships, foster collaboration with international development partners, and support the development of a digital ecosystem that empowers youth, women, and marginalized communities to fully participate in the digital economy.

By advancing digital literacy, creating digital public services, and establishing the necessary governance frameworks, the Dalan Digital Project will contribute to a more connected and transparent society, where citizens are empowered to actively engage with government and access services with ease.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • The International Legal Specialist will report directly to the Chief Technical Advisor, who will provide overall supervision, guidance, and performance evaluation. S/he will work in close coordination with other members of the project team, as well as with relevant stakeholders and counterparts, to ensure effective implementation of activities and delivery of results in line with the project work plan.
  • A general overview of the office and unit structure is provided in the Annex (Organigram), indicating the position of this function within the team.

The International Legal Specialist will provide legal advice and expertise to the Dalan Digital Project team and the Government of Timor-Leste. The International Legal Specialist will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current legislative framework as it pertains to digital governance, e-services, and digital citizenship in Timor-Leste, identifying gaps, inconsistencies, or areas requiring reform. The Specialist will also recommend updates or new laws that may be necessary to enable the successful implementation of the digital transformation agenda.

Key responsibilities include:

Conduct Legislative Framework Assessment:

  • Conduct an in-depth review of existing laws and regulations that impact digital governance, digital services, e-commerce, cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy in Timor-Leste.
  • Identify gaps, overlaps, or ambiguities in the current legal framework that may hinder the effective implementation of digital transformation initiatives within public services.
  • Compare Timor-Leste's legal framework with international standards and best practices for digital governance.

Provision of Legal Analysis and Recommendations:

  • Prepare a detailed report outlining the findings of the legislative framework assessment, including recommendations for legal reforms, new regulations, or the creation of new laws to facilitate digital governance and services.
  • Provide legal advice on the alignment of the current legal framework with international and regional commitments, including data protection laws, digital accessibility standards, and digital literacy initiatives.

Provide Guidance on Legislative Drafting:

  • Provide guidance on the drafting of legal documents and legislative proposals, ensuring compliance with the requirements for digital governance.
  •  Guide and assist in the preparation of legal texts, memos, and policy briefs related to the digitalization of public services.

Ensure Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Engage with relevant government entities, legal professionals, and stakeholders to ensure broad consensus and support for proposed legal reforms.
  • Participate in meetings with government officials, including the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of State Administration, and other key stakeholders.

Facilitate Capacity Building and Knowledge Transfer:

  • Provide training and workshops for government officials on the legal aspects of digital transformation, focusing on the regulatory challenges and opportunities for digital governance.
  • Offer mentorship and guidance to local legal experts and officials on how to implement and navigate legal reforms in the digital space.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation

Competencies

Core Competencies:

  • Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact 
  • Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
  • Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
  • Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
  • Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
  • Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
  • Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

Business Direction & Strategy

  • Strategic Thinking: Develop effective strategies and prioritised plans in line with UNDP’s mission and objectives, based on the systemic analysis of challenges, opportunities and potential risks; link the general vision to reality on the ground to create tangible targeted solutions; learn from a variety of sources to anticipate and effectively respond to both current and future trends; demonstrate foresight
  • Effective Decision-Making: Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications. 

Business Management

  • Communication: Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. .Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels 

Legal

  • Managing client relations: The ability to interact with different levels of management and across different agencies and offices to obtain information, develop legal approaches and resolve issues, this skill includes liaison with counterparts and determining the best sequence in which to pursue an issue, where information, particularly for UNDP, may be across different independent UN agencies. 
  • Knowledge of applicable legal framework: Understanding of the legal norms as applied to the United Nations in general, and to UNDP in particular. This includes an understanding of the structure, functioning and operations of UNDP within the broader UN system and the application of international treaties, including the UN Charter, GA resolutions, the relevant basic country assistance agreement and UN system-wide legal instruments, as well as an understanding of the internal legal framework (financial regulations and rules, policies, and procedures) of UNDP. 
  • Legal Research: The ability to identify and retrieve information to support legal positions and corporate decision making from all relevant sources. In the UNDP context, this skill includes, amongst other things, proactive seeking of information in anticipation of the different angles that any given issue may present. 

2030 Agenda: Engagement and Effectiveness

  • Rule of Law, Security & Human Rights: UNDP's Engagement with Human Rights Mechanisms 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Law, preferably with a focus on Public Policy, Digital Governance, or Administrative Law or other closely related field is required. Or
  • A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas stated above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of professional experience in legal advisory roles, including experience in drafting legislation and providing legal analysis on public sector reforms.

Required Skills:

  • Demonstrated experience in drafting laws, regulations, legal opinions, and policy briefs.
  • Extensive knowledge of administrative law, public sector legal frameworks, and legal dimensions of governance reform.
  • Demonstrated ability to advise senior government counterparts and work in politically sensitive environments.
  • Proven experience working with government institutions and international development organizations, particularly in Timor-Leste or other countries with similar contexts.

Desired Skills:

  • Technical expertise in digital governance, e-government legal frameworks, and data protection laws.
  • Proven strong understanding of the legal challenges and opportunities associated with digitalizing public services and promoting digital citizenship.
  • Familiarity with global standards and best practices in digital transformation and legal reform.
  • Previous experience supporting digital public sector reforms in developing country contexts.
  • Proven track record of strong understanding of UNDP programming principles, institutional development, and policy advisory processes.
  • Demonstrated capacity to interpret and apply legal texts in complex policy contexts.

Required Languages: 

  • Fluency in Portuguese and English (spoken and written) is required.
  • Working knowledge of Tetum is considered an asset.
     

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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