Chief Technical Specialist for Governance and Partnerships (Open to Tier 1 & 2 Applicants only)

Please note the appropriate Tier indicated in the vacancy title and ensure that you are holding the applicable contract as defined below:

• Tier 1: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed term (FTA) appointments (defined as “internal” candidates)  
• Tier 2: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA) and personnel on regular PSA contracts 
• Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Background

Timor-Leste, a young democracy emerging from decades of conflict, faces significant development challenges, considering also its nature of small island developing state and its category of least developed country. Past political instability has affected the continuity of public policy, long-term planning, and the consolidation of institutional capacities. Legal system reform remains a national priority, as does addressing inequalities between women and men. The country is actively pursuing decentralization to enhance local governance. Continued efforts are needed, however, to improve public service delivery, particularly in rural areas

Timor-Leste Country Programme Document (CPD) 2026-2030 - closely aligned with the national development frameworks – defines as a key sector of work the governance pillar to contribute to the country’s long-term vision. Through a suite of flagship initiatives, the Country Office has been providing technical advice and supporting implementation to national authorities to strengthen institutions, promote inclusive participation, and modernize public service delivery. The Country Office support the UNCT and partners to achieve higher development results in governance and peace building and works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Response Unit to support emergency and crisis response. The Country Office has developed a portfolio approach in the governance sector.

Cognizant of the evolving landscape of international development cooperation, including the shift in traditional ODA and the reduction of donors in Timor Leste, the Country Office is seeking to enlarge its traditional stakeholders and donors. Currently under several governance initiatives UNDP is creating Platforms for Dialogue and Cooperation and is encouraging multi-stakeholder involvement, that represent a unique opportunity to leverage UNDP’s value proposition and to outreach stakeholders/partners. 

One of these initiatives is the Dalan Digital – A New Path for Digital Citizenship project, launched in partnership with the European Union. It aims to drive digital transformation of public services, expand digital infrastructure, promote interoperability, and foster digital inclusion across the country. The project is also linked to the Decentralization Project, that aims to assist the Government to establish a network of one-stop-shops in all Municipalities and to create a Center for Administrative Modernization in Dili to fastrack public service delivery all over the country

Another key project is the Pro PALOP-TL SAI project (supported by the EU), which promotes democratic governance, oversight, and accountability in Portuguese-speaking African countries and Timor-Leste. The project strengthens the capacities of oversight institutions (such as parliaments, audit courts, and anti-corruption bodies) and advances gender-responsive budgeting, civic engagement, and regional knowledge exchange.

The other important initiative is the Justice Sector Reform, developed in response to a direct request from the Prime Minister’s Office. With a Roadmap and detailed analytical reports such as “Towards a Better Justice” and “Securing Land Rights”, UNDP has been leading efforts to improve the justice system’s accessibility, efficiency, and public trust. 

The reform encompasses legislative modernization, court infrastructure, land administration, legal aid, and institutional capacity-building.

The governance programme relies on coordinated efforts and strategic partnerships with key stakeholders including: the Government for policy leadership and implementation; the civil society to mobilize communities and advocate for vulnerable groups; the academia to inform evidence-based policy; the youth participation to strength democracy and international development partners for financial support and technical expertise.

UNDP governance projects call for more inclusive partnerships, where all actors can contribute meaningfully. They also support trust building among international stakeholders. Trust leads to greater willingness to invest, share resources and collaboration, and encourages responsible participation, helping sustain development results over time.

Position Purpose

Under the guidance of the Resident Representative, the Chief Technical Specialist for Governance and Partnerships, based in Dili is responsible for providing strategic advice, technical guidance, and high-level coordination for UNDP’s governance portfolio in Timor-Leste, which includes justice sector reform, decentralization, parliamentary support, youth engagement, digital transformation, and transparency in public accounts.  

The Chief Technical Specialist for Governance and Partnerships will also ensure high-quality implementation, foster synergy across thematic areas, provide assistance to the governance teams, and management support to ensure the smooth and effective implementation of the governance portfolio while achieving the objectives set out in the Governance Portfolio Strategy.

The Chief Technical Specialist for Governance and Partnerships is also responsible for conducting research and political analysis, support policy dialogue, and build meaningful relationship with government institutions, development partners, and civil society, ensuring that UNDP’s governance portfolio remains responsive to national priorities and emerging political contexts.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across 
interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, 
teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.    Lead effective results-based project management:

The Chief Technical Specialist for Governance and Partnerships will lead the establishment and overall management of the following projects: Dalan Digital – A New Path for Digital Citizenship; Pro PALOP-TL SAI; the Justice Reform; and the futures Electoral Support and Youth participation.

• Ensures the achievement of outputs and project results for Pillar 4 of the CPD 2026-2030 in line with the approved work plan through the day-to-day planning, management coordination and implementation of activities.
• Manages the human and financial resources to achieve quality results as outlined in the project document, on time and on budget.
• Analyses and monitors progress and advises on timely corrective actions for proper delivery.
• Leads the preparation and implementation of annual work plans. 
• Coordinates project activities with related and parallel activities both within UNDP and with UN agencies.
• Develops, oversees and maintains the monitoring, evaluation and communication frameworks.
• Ensures timely preparation of quarterly and annual reports for UNDP, and donor progress and impact reports as required.
• Ensures identification of risks and timely updating of risk logs in Quantum.
• Ensures project quality assurance activities and undertaken in a timely manner.
• Oversee the implementation of the national digital transformation strategy, including the development of interoperability frameworks, digital platforms for public service delivery, and digital inclusion initiatives.
• Coordinate the design and rollout of municipal and digital one-stop shops (Balkaun Uniku), digital literacy campaigns, and the national digital maturity assessment.
• Engage with the Government, and other relevant institutions to ensure alignment with national digital governance frameworks and smooth implementation.
• Lead strategic implementation of the Roadmap Towards a Better Justice and follow-up actions from reports including “Towards a Better Justice” and “Securing Land Rights”.
• Support legislative reforms, judicial modernization, and institutional strengthening of justice sector institutions, including the Court of Appeal and Ministry of Justice.
• Coordinate technical assistance and policy dialogue on access to justice, legal empowerment, land administration, and human rights.
• Provide technical oversight of Pro PALOP activities related to the strengthening of democratic governance, oversight institutions, gender-sensitive budgeting, and inclusive participation.
• Liaise with the regional coordination mechanism and counterparts across Lusophone countries to promote South-South collaboration, knowledge exchange, and joint capacity development.

2.    Ensure effective coordination and oversight of governance portfolio:

The Chief Technical Advisor for Governance and Partnerships will ensure strategic, operational, and technical coherence across the governance portfolio related activities, acting as a central point of contact for governance matters, and facilitating effective coordination with internal and external stakeholders.

• Provide technical review and quality assurance of deliverables across all the governance portfolio, especially to Dalan Digital, Pro PALOP-TL, and Justice.
• Facilitate smooth onboarding and support to consultants, including introductions to relevant stakeholders and alignment of their work with project objectives.
• Guide and mentor projects staff, ensuring alignment with corporate policies, UNDP values, and national legislation. 
• Align governance activities across projects to ensure internal synergies and communication among key governance stakeholders.
• Organize regular coordination meetings, joint planning sessions, and cross-team communications to ensure coherence.
• Identify risks, challenges, and opportunities, and propose corrective actions to ensure successful implementation.
• Monitor implementation progress, KPIs, and risk mitigation strategies across the governance program.
• Prioritize the support of the implementation of governance structural reforms.
   

3.    Strategic UNDP positioning and engagement with stakeholders:

The Chief Technical Specialist for Governance and Partnerships will provide partners specific intelligence and undertake analyses to develop engagement strategies and guide resource mobilization efforts.

• Ensure strategic coordination and open communication with the Presidency, Prime Minister Office, Government authorities (including key line Ministries), and the National Parliament.
• Maintains continuous dialogue with the government and other key partners to provide knowledge-based advisory services and to ensure proper integration and co-ordination of other related development efforts.
• Advocates and promotes awareness, clarity and understanding of issues and responses related to the role UNDP plays in strengthening access to justice, rule of law, and democratic institutions in Timor Leste.
• Represent governance projects at coordination platforms and donor meetings, positioning UNDP as a trusted partner of choice on governance related issues.
• Identify synergies with other partners and projects to maximize impact and results in the framework of the governance sector.
• Engage with political actors, parliamentarians, and government stakeholders to build consensus and strengthen national ownership of reform initiatives.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with development partners, UN agencies, international organizations, academia, and civil society.
• Lead and coordinate high dialogue level platforms in the framework of the projects financed by the European Union and other donors: the Dalan Digital Project , Pro PALOP-TL and the Justice Reform.
• Proactively lead efforts to understand the governance sector's motivations, interests, and needs for partnering with UNDP and develop tailored offers to strengthen partnership and resource mobilization opportunities for UNDP
• Present and support the promotion of UNDP’s signature initiatives and products to maximize resource mobilization opportunities among key stakeholders, networks and forums. 
• Identify and recommend strategic opportunities for UNDP’s engagement and participation in governance initiatives in close consultation with senior management.
• Contributes to the overall resource mobilization efforts of the governance portfolio and Country Office by identifying opportunities to secure additional cost-sharing resources from the government, donors and regional partners.

4.    Provision of expert technical advice and political analysis:
 

The Chief Technical Specialist for Governance and Partnerships will advise the senior management and program teams on political dynamics, governance trends, and emerging risk to support adaptive, context-sensitive governance programming.

• Track national and regional political trends, elections, policies, and legislation relevant to the UNDP’s mission.
• Analyze the political context surrounding a decision or policy proposal to anticipate challenges or opportunities for the governance portfolio.
• Monitor and assess potential political risks or disruptions and develop strategic mitigation responses/strategies for sensitive governance interventions.
• Provide strategic analysis and political briefings to the UNDP Resident Representative and senior management.
• Advise the UNDP Resident Representative and senior management, on how political dynamics might affect organizational goals or public perception.
• Develop a rapid offer response in terms of analysis and advice during political or technical crises.
• Ensure governance and digital programs are aligned with the political and development context, contributing to peace, stability, and inclusive development.
• Provide integrated advice by connecting technical data with political realities to provide holistic guidance.
   

5.    Lead effective knowledge management:
 

The Chief Technical Specialist for Governance and Partnerships will develop strategies to retain critical knowledge during projects implementation and will encourage the practical use of corporate stored knowledge in decision-making and project execution.

• Leads in the creation and dissemination of knowledge products related to national and international know-how in the governance sector.
• Works with partners and practitioners within UNDP’s global networks, practice and sub-practice teams in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, the Crisis Bureau, and the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific.
• Ensures the substantive quality of all knowledge products, reports and services, in the governance area.
• Contributes to the production of strategic papers, think pieces, reports and publications, and serves as a peer reviewer.
• Raises visibility of UNDP’s governance sector through knowledge sharing and well-developed communication materials.
• Selects and brings lessons learnt to help achieve the outputs of the programme and facilitating the use of global knowledge networks in the field.
• Shares programme results, success stories, and innovative solutions through publications, seminars, and participation in regional/global networks.
• Promote South-South learning and knowledge exchange, especially under the Pro PALOP-TL Project and digital transformation workstream.
• Facilitate uptake of global best practices specially in digital governance, inclusive justice, and democratic governance.
   

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

Supervisory/Managerial Responsibilities: The Chief Technical Specialist for Governance and Partnerships will exercise overall managerial responsibility for the effective delivery of UNDP’s governance portfolio, including direct supervision of project teams under the Dalan Digital, Justice Sector Reform, and Pro PALOP-TL initiatives. This includes managing personnel, overseeing operational planning and execution, and ensuring high standards of performance and accountability. As required, the incumbent will monitor consultants and respective deliverables established in the contract. 
 

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

Required Skills and Experience

• Cross-Functional & Technical competencies: 

Business Direction & Strategy-System Thinking: Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system.

Business Management-Portfolio Management: Ability to select, prioritize and control the organization’s programmes and projects, in line with its strategic objectives and capacity; ability to balance the implementation of change initiatives and the maintenance of business-as-usual, while optimizing return on investment

Partnership Management & Relationship management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public  and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding. 

Partnership Management & Resource Mobilization: Ability to identify funding sources, match funding needs (programmes/projects/initiatives) with funding opportunities, and establish a plan to meet funding requirements.

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.
   

Business Development & Knowledge Facilitation: Ability to animate individuals and groups, internally, and externally, and to design and facilitate activities, to share and exchange knowledge, information and ideas. Knowledge of tools and approaches to stimulate active participation, contribution, and exchange.

2030 Agenda: Peace & Governance: Public Sector Strengthening and Innovation

Education:

• Advanced University Degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Law, Political Science, International Studies, Development Studies, Political Administration or any other related field is required. Or
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the aforementioned fields of study, in combination with an additional 2 years of qualifying relevant work experience, will be given due consideration in lieu of the master’s degree.

Experience:

• A Minimum of 7 years (with master’s degree) or 9 years (With bachelor’s degree) of relevant work experience in governance with international organizations.
• At least, 4 of demonstrated experience in development programming focused on governance, accountability, capacity development, gender equality, peacebuilding and Parliament system is required.
• Proven track record of sound knowledge of Timor-Leste´s governance systems and decentralization process is required.
• Proven track record of sound knowledge of UNDP procedures and mandate is an advantage.
• Experience in writing proposals and funding offers for stakeholders/donors/government is desired.
• Experience in designing and implementing partnerships and outreach/engagement strategies and initiatives with government and donors is required. 
• Excellent analytical and writing skills, as demonstrated by previous research/analytical reports/policy notes on relevant topics, are required.
• Proven track record of excellent coordination, negotiating and communication skills are required.
• Experience and strong knowledge of trends, priorities and emerging actors within the region of South Asia Pacific is desired. 
• Proven experience with project management and resource mobilization is desirable. 
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate partnership needs, proactively identify opportunities, and initiate or recommend relevant engagement strategies is desired. 

Languages:

• Fluency in English and Portuguese with good verbal and written skills is required
• Knowledge of local language (Tetum) is an advantage.

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. 

Probation

For all new UNDP fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNDP under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

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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