The International Legal Specialist position with UNDP in Dili, Timor-Leste sits at the intersection of law, governance, and digital transformation, offering a strategic opportunity to shape the legal foundations of the country’s evolving digital state. Advertised as an IPSA-10 international consultancy with a one-year duration (renewable), the role is open to all qualified applicants and aligns with UNDP’s broader governance and rule-of-law mandate. Strategic Context Timor-Leste is at a pivotal stage in its development trajectory, increasingly prioritizing digital governance as a means to enhance service delivery, transparency, and citizen engagement. While the country has made meaningful progress in recent years, legal and regulatory frameworks have not always kept pace with technological advancements. This gap poses risks related to data protection, cybersecurity, accessibility, and institutional accountability. The Dalan Digital Project responds directly to these challenges. Anchored in the Timor Digital 2032 Vision, the project seeks to build an enabling digital ecosystem that strengthens government capacity, expands access to digital public services, and promotes inclusive digital citizenship. Within this framework, the International Legal Specialist plays a foundational role: ensuring that digital transformation is underpinned by sound, coherent, and future-ready legal structures. Purpose of the Role The primary purpose of the position is to provide high-level legal advisory support to both UNDP and the Government of Timor-Leste. Reporting to the Chief Technical Advisor, the Specialist will assess the country’s existing legal and regulatory environment as it relates to digital governance and recommend reforms that enable secure, inclusive, and effective digital public services. Rather than focusing on abstract legal theory, the role is deeply applied. It requires translating international norms and best practices into locally appropriate legal instruments that reflect Timor-Leste’s institutional realities, administrative capacity, and socio-cultural context. Core Responsibilities A central task of the role is conducting a comprehensive legislative framework assessment. This includes reviewing laws and regulations related to e-government, digital services, e-commerce, cybersecurity, data protection, and privacy. The Specialist must identify gaps, inconsistencies, or overlaps that could impede digital transformation and benchmark national legislation against international and regional standards. Building on this analysis, the Specialist will produce detailed legal reports and reform recommendations, advising on amendments to existing laws or the drafting of entirely new legal instruments. These outputs are expected to directly inform government decision-making and support the operationalization of digital public services. Another key responsibility involves legislative drafting support. The Specialist will guide ministries and counterparts in preparing legal texts, policy briefs, and explanatory memoranda, ensuring technical accuracy, coherence, and alignment with digital governance objectives. Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building The position is not limited to desk-based legal analysis. Active stakeholder engagement is essential. The Specialist will work closely with institutions such as the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of State Administration, and Ministry of Transport and Communications, as well as with legal professionals and development partners. Building consensus around legal reforms in a politically and institutionally complex environment is a critical success factor. Capacity development is another pillar of the role. Through trainings, workshops, and mentorship, the Specialist will help strengthen the ability of national counterparts to understand, implement, and sustain digital-era legal reforms. This knowledge transfer dimension ensures that reforms are not only adopted but also owned and effectively applied. Required Profile UNDP is seeking a seasoned legal professional with at least 5 years of experience (with a master’s degree) or 7 years (with a bachelor’s degree) in legal advisory work, particularly in public sector reform and legislative drafting. Strong expertise in administrative law and governance reform is essential, while experience in digital governance, e-government, and data protection is highly desirable. Fluency in Portuguese and English is mandatory, reflecting Timor-Leste’s legal and administrative context. Knowledge of Tetum is considered an asset and signals an ability to engage more deeply with local stakeholders. Broader Significance Beyond its technical scope, this role contributes to UNDP’s wider commitment to rule of law, human rights, and inclusive governance under the 2030 Agenda. By helping Timor-Leste build robust legal foundations for digital transformation, the International Legal Specialist supports a future in which technology enhances—not undermines—equity, accountability, and citizen trust. For legal professionals with experience in governance reform and an interest in digital transformation in emerging contexts, this position represents both a high-impact advisory role and a chance to contribute to long-term systemic change. APPLY NOW For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram , WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and Telegram Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization that is hiring for this position. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. 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