Full ToR
TOR - INDEPENDENT LEGAL CONSULTANT- TL AFSi Project - UKHSP - 12062026
Project Background
The Timor-Leste AMR-Food Safety Nexus Initiative (TL-AFSi) – under UK Health Security Partnership (UK-HSP) – is designed to establish a foundational, integrated One Health system addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and food safety in imported frozen foods. Timor-Leste currently lacks systematic surveillance infrastructure for AMR in imported frozen foods, creating a dangerous blind spot in the food sector.
Overall Objective
To provide high-quality legal drafting, analysis, and advisory services to the TL-AFSi project, ensuring that all proposed food safety regulations and legal instruments are:
- Fully aligned with international standards (Codex Alimentarius, ASEAN frameworks)
- Consistent with Timor-Leste's national legal system and legislative procedures
- Clearly written, enforceable, and supported by robust evidence (AMR surveillance data, WGS results)
- Ready for formal submission and adoption by the Council of Ministers or Parliament
Key Responsibilities
Legal Gap Analysis and Benchmarking (20% of total days)
- Review and analyse all existing national legislation relevant to imported frozen foods, including Decree-Law 5/2021 (Basic Food Law)
- Conduct line-by-line legal gap analysis comparing national regulations against 15 priority Codex Alimentarius standards and ASEAN Food Safety Policy Framework
- Prepare a Legal Gap Analysis Report identifying specific articles/clauses that are missing, contradictory, or inadequate
Drafting of Legal Texts (50% of total days)
- Draft a Ministerial Diploma/Decree on AMR in Imported Frozen Foods, including mandatory surveillance requirements and science-based microbiological limits
- Draft or revise Microbiological Criteria for Frozen Foods incorporating indicator organisms and AMR profiles based on WGS evidence
- Draft updated Import Control Regulations requiring pre-export testing certificates from countries of origin for high-risk frozen products
- Prepare supporting legal documents: implementation guidance, regulatory impact assessment, and cost-benefit analysis
Legal Review, Scrubbing, and Stakeholder Engagement (20% of total days)
- Support iterative review processes with two rounds of written comments from stakeholders
- Conduct legal scrubbing with government legal drafters to ensure compliance with national drafting protocols
- Participate in validation workshops and consultation meetings with private sector importers
Finalisation and Submission Support (10% of total days)
- Incorporate all feedback into a final regulatory package
- Prepare submission dossier for the Council of Ministers or Parliament
- Provide legal advisory support during high-level advocacy meetings with ministers
Key Deliverables
- Legal Gap Analysis Report (Month 6)
- First draft of Ministerial Diploma on AMR in Frozen Foods (Month 10)
- Draft revised Microbiological Criteria for Frozen Foods (Month 12)
- Draft updated Import Control Regulations (Month 14)
- Legal sections of cost-benefit analysis and regulatory impact assessment (Month 14)
- Final legal texts after stakeholder validation and legal scrubbing (Month 18)
- Final submission dossier (Month 22)
- Handover note and legal advisory summary (Month 24)
All deliverables shall be submitted in English and Tetum.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential:
- Advanced university degree (Master's or higher) in Law (LL.M. or equivalent). A Bachelor's degree in Law with at least 8 years of relevant experience may be considered
- Admitted to practice law in Timor-Leste (or recognised as a legal expert by a relevant authority)
- Minimum 7 years of professional experience in legislative drafting, regulatory reform, or public law, preferably in Timor-Leste or similar ASEAN context
- Demonstrated experience drafting ministerial decrees, diplomas, or regulations for government adoption
- Knowledge of Timor-Leste's legislative process
- Ability to translate complex technical/scientific information into clear, enforceable legal language
- Excellent legal writing and analytical skills in Portuguese and Tetum (professional proficiency). Working knowledge of English is highly desirable
- Ability to work independently on an output-based, part-time consultancy schedule
Desirable:
- Previous experience working on food safety, public health, or AMR-related legislation
- Familiarity with Codex Alimentarius standards and ASEAN legal harmonisation efforts
- Experience working with the National Codex Committee (NCC), Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, or AIFAESA
- Knowledge of international trade law and import/export regulations
Working Arrangements
- Position Type: National (Open only for Timorese)
- Contract Duration: Total 80 working days over 2 years project implementation period
- Duty Station: Dili, Timor-Leste (remote work + in-person meetings/workshops as required, with occasional travel within Dili)
- Reporting Line: Direct supervision of the TL-AFSi Programme Leader, in close collaboration with the National Food Safety Policy & Regulatory Expert, the PMU, the National Codex Committee (NCC), IQ-TL, AIFAESA, and relevant government legal drafters
- Workload: Output-based consultancy with flexible working hours, but must be available for key meetings, workshops, and deadlines
