[TimorLesteStudies] Job - Coordinator of Parliamentary Research

[Jenny]

Via ETAN

>Date: Sat, 02 Aug 2008 06:46:02 -0400
>From: ETAN <fbp at igc.org>
>Asia Foundation
>
>JOB POSTING/TERMS OF REFERENCES
>Position Title : Coordinator of Parliamentary Research
>Start Date: Immediate
>Duration: Full-time
>Duty station: Dili, Timor-Leste
>
>Background
>
>The National Parliament of Timor-Leste and The 
>Asia Foundation Timor-Leste, with generous 
>support from the United States Agency for 
>International Development, the United States 
>House Democracy Assistance Committee and the 
>Library of Congress, have established a 
>Parliamentary Library at the National Parliament 
>building in Dili, Timor-Leste as of January 
>2008. The National Parliament now seeks a senior 
>Timorese Research Coordinator to lead the 
>establishment and management of the nation’s 
>first Parliamentary Research Service.
>
>Summary
>
>This research professional, as Coordinator of 
>Parliament Research (CPR), appointed by the 
>Secretary General of Parliament, will serve to 
>ensure that insightful and impartial research is 
>provided to the National Parliament of 
>Timor-Leste (NPTL) before and after the 
>legislative drafting process. As such the CPR 
>will manage the incremental development of a 
>Parliament Research Service (PRS) which serves 
>parliamentary committees and Members of 
>Parliament. The PRS will seek to gather 
>interdisciplinary resources, encourage critical 
>thinking and create innovative frameworks to 
>help legislators form sound policies and reach 
>decisions on a host of difficult issues.  These 
>decisions will guide and shape the nation today and for generations to come.
>
>The CPR will ensure that the PRS will be able to 
>assist at every stage of the legislative process 
>-- from the early considerations that precede 
>legislative drafting, through committee hearings 
>and floor debate, to the oversight of enacted 
>laws and various agency activities. However, 
>initially given the existing funding and 
>management constraints, the CPR will provide the 
>Parliament him/her self with the analytical 
>support the parliament needs to address 
>foundational public policy issues facing the new 
>nation and the nascent parliamentary system. The 
>CPR will focus initially on early considerations 
>that precede legislative drafting. CPR will 
>analyze current policies and present the impact 
>of proposed policy alternatives, even if it 
>means bringing to light facts that may be contrary to established assumptions.
>
>Reporting
>
>The CPR will work under the direct supervision 
>of the Secretary General of the National 
>Parliament of Timor-Leste. The Coordinator will 
>be in close collaboration with The Asia 
>Foundation and will provide a monthly report to 
>TAF. The CPR will work closely with all Members 
>of Parliament (MPs). The Coordinator will be 
>responsible for the formation and management of technical teams for research.
>
>Responsibilities
>
>The CPR will provide the following services:
>
>• Written reports on current legislative issues to MPs
>• Supervising and reviewing the work of researchers
>• Expert testimony in parliamentary sessions to MPs
>• Tailored confidential memoranda, briefings and consultations to MPs
>• Management of information requests for research from MPs
>• Establish research team including recruiting 
>research staff members for the PRS
>• Coordinate with other donor and 
>government-sponsored programs providing technical support to the PRS
>
>• Coordinate research with other research 
>centers such as Dili Institute of Technology (DIT)
>• Produce monthly progress report to The Asia 
>Foundation and the Speaker of National Parliament of Timor-Leste
>
>Qualifications and experience:
>
>• Timor-Leste citizenship
>• University Masters degree, preferably in 
>social policy or any related subject
>• Strong organizational skills
>• Understanding of quantitative methodologies
>• Proven legal and economic analysis
>• Experience with government agencies, and 
>international development partners working 
>methods and ability to establish and maintain 
>working relationships with people from a range of organizations.
>• Experience in conducting research through written materials and the internet
>• Good communication skills in Tetum and/or 
>Portuguese, and English (written and spoken).
>• Computer skills including Word, Excel, and Internet.
>• Excellent interpersonal skills.
>
>Personal specifications:
>• Ability to work under tight pressure of deadlines.
>• Analytical capabilities to integrate multiple 
>disciplines and research methodologies.
>• Program and legislative expertise.
>• Ability to approach complex topics from a 
>variety of perspectives and examine all sides of an issue.
>• Good person to person communication, rapport 
>building and facilitation skills.
>• Willingness to contribute to and work in a team.
>• Detail-oriented.
>• Excellent writing skills.
>• Committed to assisting the MPs to enrich their 
>knowledge on topics to be debated in the Parliament’s plenary sessions.
>• Demonstrated political impartiality.
>
>Please send cover letter and resume by COB 
>August 16, 2008 to The Asia Foundation, 
>Rua.Jacinto Candido (behind BTK/Holiwono store), 
>or to P.O. Box 69, Dili, East Timor. Fax. 670-390-324-245.
>
>Applications may also be sent to 
>ftilman at asiafound.org. Only short-listed 
>candidates will be acknowledged. Please indicate 
>your contact address or phone in your letter.
>
>Women candidates are encouraged to apply
>
>[This message was distributed via the east-timor 
>news list. For info on how to subscribe send a 
>blank e-mail to info at etan.org. To support ETAN 
>see http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm ]