Legal Adviser to the President of the Republic of Timor-Leste

ob vacancy: Legal Adviser to the President of the Republic of Timor-Leste
Summary: Situated in the Office of the President, the Legal Adviser
would provide strategic policy and technical oversight for the
President's on legal and constitutional affairs.

Job description
Specific Activities

· Provide legal advice to and create capacity within President's
Office Department of Legal and Constitutional Affairs on matters
related to its portfolio. This general responsibility shall include
the following specific duties and responsibilities:

® Conducting legal research and analyses on legal matters related
to the mandate of the President of the Democratic Republic of
Timor-Leste, including matters related to public international law;

® Drafting legal reports, observations, memoranda, internal legal
opinions and other appropriate briefing documents;

® Participating in the preparation and drafting of acts to be
issued by the President pursuant to his powers and mandate;

® Participating in the preparation of elements of President legal
submissions before national and international judicial bodies that
touch upon matters falling within his/her portfolio.

· Provide legal support to the decisions of the President
whenever requested.

· Follow-up all matters of legal and constitutional relevance and
keep the President apprised.

· Follow-up debates in the National Parliament and report on a
periodical basis for the President.

· Review and analyse laws and regulations to keep the President apprised.

· Prepare the President's diplomas, namely nomination and
exoneration decrees of the Prime-Minister, members of Government,
diplomatic representatives of Timor-Leste and of other bodies on which
the President has constitutional competence.

· Analyse and formulate opinions on the diplomas sent to the
President for promulgation.

· Analyse and formulate opinions on processes of pardon sent by
the Government and support the President in that procedure.

· Assure the analysis of Proposals of Laws and of Decree-Laws for
the President's information and promulgation.

· Analyse legal questions posed by the functioning of the Office
of the President, or specifically asked for by the President or Chief
of Staff.

· Prepare reports and documentation, briefings and talking points
for the President.

· Cooperate with Political Support Services of the President, on
legal and constitutional matters of political relevance.

· Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the
President's Chief of Staff and by the Head of Department.

Project management
The Legal Advisor will be based in the Office of the President. S/He
will report directly to the President's Chief of Staff.

Location
Dili, Timor-Leste.

Commencement date & Period of implementation
The intended commencement date is May, 15th 2011 and the period of
implementation of the contract will be 12 months from this date. A
possibility of an extension to the contract is foreseen and will
depend on the performance during the contract.

Requirements

Qualifications and skills
· University degree
and at least 10 years of relevant experience in Public Law.

· Masters in Public
Law is an asset

General professional experience
· Experience in
providing legal expertise or as legal advisor is essential

· Experience in
managing a team and/or supervising staff

· Experience in
capacity building and/or teaching at university level

· Experience in
research of legal matters and information gathering to produce reports
and internal information, and/or experience in legal drafting.

· Experience in
Timor-Leste is an advantage.

· Proficient in
Windows and Microsoft (Word, Excel, etc).

· Perfect dominion of Portuguese

· Good working
knowledge in English.

· Knowledge of Tetum
and/or Bahasa Indonesia is an advantage.

Personal and Professional Characteristics:
· Uphold the image of
the Office of the President by demonstrating discipline, use of
appropriate language and equal treatment of everyone, without any form
of discrimination.

· Obey all applicable
rules according to the current legislation, namely the Public Service
Law, the Code of Conduct, the Organic Law and the Internal Rules of
the Office of the President, as well as all other norms approved and
that apply to the post.

· Capacity to work in
teams and to easily relate with colleagues.

· Excellent
organizational skills and to manage work independently.

· Excellent analytical skills.

· Maturity and sense
of responsibility.

· Adaptability and
capacity to manage stressful situations.

· Good initiative.

· Good communication skills.

· Proven ability to
work under stress and considerable pressure.

· Proven ability to
work and to operate as part of a team.

Submission of candidacy and other information.

The candidacy should contain a letter explaining the motivations to
postulate to this position. Also it should include an updated and
detailed Curriculum Vitæ of the postulant with at least three
professional references.

The envelope containing the candidacy should be sent the following
address with the mention "Legal Adviser to the President of the
Republic of Timor-Leste" in the envelop:

Serviços do Ordenador Nacional (NAO)

Ministério das Finanças

Dili

República Democratica de Timor-Leste

Alternatively, the candidacy can be sent electronically at the
following e-mail address: fimontbrun@mof.gov.tl with the mention
"Legal Adviser to the President of the Republic of Timor-Leste" in the
subject of the message.

The deadline for the submission, either in hard or soft copy, is 24
hours Dili time (GMT +9) of April 27th 2011.

The details of the economic and financial compensation will be given
by the Evaluation Committee for the seven candidates that will be
short-listed.