NATIONAL CONSULTANT TO CONDUCT A DIGITAL READINESS ASSESSMENT IN TIMOR-LESTE

Result of Service

Expected Outputs The Consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs: • Country-level Inception Report for the Digital Readiness Assessment, developed in collaboration with the international consultant, including contextualization of the agreed methodology to Timor-Leste’s context, methodology, assessment framework aligned with the ITU Digital Transformation Wheel and complementary frameworks, stakeholders mapping and preliminary data sources, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities between the national and international Consultants, and a detailed work plan and timeline; • Draft Digital Readiness Assessment Report, prepared in coordination with the International Consultant, structured including through a framework of Access, Adoption and Value Creation dimensions and incorporating country-level analysis, findings and preliminary recommendations; • Preparation and delivery of a presentation on the Digital Readiness Assessment at the national stakeholder workshop, provision of substantive and logistical support to the organization and facilitation of the workshop, and preparation of a consolidated summary of stakeholder feedback to ensure that key inputs are reflected in the revised Draft and Final Reports; • Country-level Final Digital Readiness Assessment Report prepared under the coordination of the International Consultant, who will provide inputs and guidance to the report, incorporating inputs, comments and finalized recommendations, including those received at the national workshop. Key Tasks and Deliverables The following table provides an overview of the key tasks to be conducted by the Digital Readiness Assessment Expert/Consultant. Tasks: 1) Inception and coordination: Support initial set-up of the Digital Readiness Assessment, including stakeholder mapping, confirmation of data sources, and coordination with the International Consultant on assessment tools, scope and timeline. 2) Ongoing coordination: Regular coordination with the international consultants on progress against timeline and agreed division of responsibilities, ensuring alignment with the agreed analytical framework and reporting template, and incorporating technical guidance and review comments provided by the International Consultant. 3) Desk review and baseline assessment: Review national digital strategies, policies, laws, institutional arrangements and existing initiatives related to digital government, ICT and digital economy, including relevant UNSDCF and UN partner documents and existing diagnostics, in collaboration with international consultant and provide structured baseline inputs aligned with the agreed analytical framework. 4) Data collection and stakeholder consultations :Conduct interviews, surveys, and consultations with government ministries, public institutions, and relevant stakeholders, including a stakeholder engagement workshop, to collect qualitative and quantitative data on digital readiness across Access, Adoption, and Value Creation dimensions, in collaboration with the international consultant and ensure documentation and consolidation of evidence in line with agreed templates. 5) National Workshops: Provide logistical and substantial support to the national workshops, including delivering a workshop presentation, providing workshop facilitation, and collecting feedback and input from all participants, to ensure the final Digital Readiness Assessments incorporate all inputs from stakeholders. 6) Analyze collected data, identify gaps, bottlenecks, and cross-cutting issues (including interoperability, data sharing, cybersecurity, inclusion, and sustainability), and contribute country-level analysis and preliminary recommendations 7) Validation and finalization: Revise the Draft Timor-Leste Digital Readiness Assessment Report based on stakeholder feedback and formal review comments provided by the International Consultant, and finalize the report. Deliverables: • Development of the national-level Inception Report, including stakeholder mapping, data collection plan, and agreed roles and responsibilities between the national and international consultant. • Documentation of regular meetings with international consultant outlining agreements and coordination. • Desk review summary and baseline inputs on Timor-Leste’s digital governance and institutional landscape, developed with guidance and inputs from the international consultant. • Data collection notes, including the list of interviewees, proposed interview questions, final interview schedule, interview notes, survey results and consultation summaries. • Logistical and substantive support to the national workshop, delivery of workshop presentation and summarizing workshop outcomes in consultation with the International Consultant. • Draft Timor-Leste’s Digital Readiness Assessment Report, including findings, gap analysis, and preliminary recommendations, incorporating inputs from international consultant. • Validation of inputs/ feedback from stakeholders and final country inputs for the Final Digital Readiness Assessment Report for Timor-Leste, incorporating inputs from the international consultant.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

9 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Digital transformation is a critical enabler of inclusive growth, institutional effectiveness, resilience and sustainable development in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Governments increasingly rely on digital technologies to enhance public service delivery, improve policy coherence, strengthen transparency and accountability, and enable innovation across the economy. However, progress remains uneven, with persistent gaps in connectivity, digital skills, institutional coordination, data governance and cybersecurity. LDCs in Asia such as Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Nepal have made notable gains in digital infrastructure and connectivity, with internet penetration surpassing 50%, well above the LDC average of 34%. These advancements underscore growing readiness across the region to harness digital technologies for development. At the same time, the rapid pace of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and increasing demand for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) underscore the urgency for LDCs to strengthen institutional frameworks and leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). These tools offer transformative potential, including AI for adaptive social protection systems, blockchain for transparent land registries, and IoT for boosting agricultural productivity and resource efficiency. Strategically deployed, such technologies can modernize public service delivery and foster more responsive and resilient governance. The UN Technology Bank for the LDCs (UNTB) in partnership with the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) is implementing a three-year project entitled “Promoting Digital Transformation of Selected Asian LDCs for a Sustainable and Resilient Future”. The project covers Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nepal and Timor-Leste. Using a whole-of-government approach, this project aims to contribute towards addressing systemic barriers by providing targeted support to national strategies, inclusive digital ecosystems, and regional knowledge cooperation. It builds on the work of the UN system, which have supported digital transformation efforts in the selected LDCs. The present TORs are for conducting a digital readiness assessment in Timor-Leste, using a whole-of-government methodology and informed by initial national-level stakeholder engagement and consultations. The assessment will be developed in collaboration with an international consultant, who will support the development of Readiness Assessments in the four implementing countries. Roles and responsibilities between the National and International Consultants will be clearly delineated and further elaborated in the respective Inception Reports. The digital readiness assessments will provide an in-depth analysis of Timor-Leste’s current digital ecosystem, assessing the status and identifying gaps across key dimensions such as digital infrastructure, governance frameworks, institutional capacity, human capital and digital skills, data ecosystem and integration and responsible use of emerging technologies. The assessment will serve as a foundational evidence base to inform subsequent project outputs. Key documents for review will include national plans and policies, as well as the UNSDCF and relevant planning documents from UN agencies and other relevant partners, to ensure work proceeds in close alignment with existing planning. As part of the project, a national workshop will be held at the beginning of the project, in each implementing country, taking place at the same time as this consultancy. This will bring together representatives from a broad range of government ministries with the aim to provide inputs on the current state of digitalization, outline strengths and gaps at the national level, and inform the development of the forthcoming digitalization toolkit, regional trainings, and further support provided through this project. The international consultant will be expected to participate virtually in these workshops, with the national consultant engaging in-person. Together, the international and national consultants will be expected to extract information provided during these workshops, applied to the development of the readiness assessment, to ensure the Readiness Assessment aligns to the national priorities highlighted during the workshops. Purpose and Scope of Assignment The project aims to support whole-of-government digital transformation through evidence-based diagnostics, policy support, capacity development, and stakeholder engagement. As an initial phase, the project will undertake a comprehensive Digital Maturity / Digital Readiness Assessment of government ministries and public institutions in Timor-Leste. The assessment will provide a structured diagnostic of current digital capabilities, identify systemic gaps and constraints, and inform the prioritized national digital transformation roadmap aligned with national development objectives and Timor-Leste’s Digital 2032 strategy including readiness for the governance and integration of emerging technologies. This Digital Readiness Assessment constitutes part of Output 1 of the project and will serve as the analytical foundation for subsequent project activities, including digital strategy dialogue, capacity development, and regional knowledge exchange. The assessment will build on existing diagnostics and be aligned with international good practices and analytical frameworks, in particular the ITU Digital Transformation Wheel, which focuses on three interlinked dimensions of digital development: Access (connectivity and infrastructure), Adoption (institutional, organizational and individual use of digital technologies), and Value Creation (digital public services, data-driven decision-making, innovation and socio-economic impact). The work will also draw on ITU’s digital development indicators, the Unified Framework dataset, and relevant UN-OHRLLS and UNTB knowledge products. Under the overall supervision of the UN Technology Bank for LDCs, and in close coordination with UN-OHRLLS, designated counterparts of the Government of Timor-Leste, and in collaboration with the International Consultant, who will provide guidance and oversight to the work at the national level, the National Consultant will perform the following duties: • Prepare the national-level Inception Report, including country-specific stakeholder mapping, data collection plan, contextualization of the agreed methodology to Timor-Leste’s context, and a detailed workplan and timeline, in coordination with and under the guidance of the International Consultant; • Conduct a comprehensive desk review of national policies, strategies, implementation plans, laws and regulations related to digital government, ICT, digital economy and public sector modernization, in collaboration with the International Consultant. Key documents include, but are not limited to, sectoral digital policies, national development plans, ICT master plans, cybersecurity strategies, e‑governance frameworks, and relevant sectoral guidelines. This will also include reviewing UN strategic frameworks such as the UNSDCF and UN agencies planning documents to ensure alignment with existing commitments, priorities, and planned initiatives; • Support the application and contextualization of the Digital Readiness Assessment methodology developed under the guidance of the International Consultant aligned with the ITU Digital Transformation Wheel and adapted to Timor-Leste’s context, and complemented by other relevant international frameworks; • Review and analyze relevant indicators and assess digital readiness across core dimensions, including: Digital leadership, governance and whole-of-government coordination; Digital connectivity, infrastructure and platforms (Access); Institutional adoption of digital technologies, digital skills and change management (Adoption); Digital public services, interoperability, data governance, cybersecurity and trust; Readiness for emerging technologies and digital innovation (Value Creation); • Collect qualitative and quantitative data through surveys, interviews and consultations with government institutions and relevant stakeholders to identify institutional strengths, gaps, bottlenecks and capacity constraints affecting digital transformation across government, with your input and guidance from the international consultant; • Analyze cross-cutting issues such as interoperability, data sharing, cybersecurity, gender-responsiveness, inclusion and sustainability; • Support the organization and in-person facilitation of the national stakeholder workshop at the initial stage of the project, validate preliminary findings through stakeholder consultations, and document key inputs to ensure they are reflected in the Draft and Final Digital Readiness Assessment Reports; • Identify risks, constraints, and enabling factors that may influence digital transformation progress • Develop evidence-based, prioritized and actionable recommendations to advance whole-of-government digital transformation in Timor-Leste, aligned with national priorities and international best practices including recommendations that can inform subsequent capacity-building activities and the development of the country-specific Digital Transformation Toolkit, in collaboration with the international consultant. • Lead the drafting, analysis and evidence-generation to the preparation of the Draft and Final Digital Readiness Assessment Reports for Timor-Leste, under the coordination of the International Consultant who provides guidance and inputs to the development of the reports; • Support coordination with national counterparts, including facilitating access to relevant institutions, stakeholders and data required for the assessment.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Information Systems, Digital Transformation, Public Policy, Economics, Development Studies or a related field is required A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in digital transformation, e-government, digital policy, ICT for development or related areas is required Demonstrated experience conducting digital readiness assessments, digital government diagnostics or similar institutional assessments is required Strong knowledge of international digital development frameworks, including ITU digital indicators and whole-of-government approaches is required Proven analytical, research and report-writing skills is required Experience engaging with government ministries and public institutions at the national level is required Strong understanding of the country’s digital governance landscape, including relevant national policies, institutional and national frameworks is required Experience working with governments and/or international organizations is highly desirable Familiarity with LDC contexts and public sector reform processes is an asset.

Languages

Fluency of English is required. Knowledge of Tetum and Portuguese is required.

Additional Information

• The Consultant will report directly to the UN Technology Bank for LDCs and work in close coordination with UN-OHRLLS, the International Consultant, and designated counterparts of the Government of Timor-Leste. • All information, data, analyses and outputs produced under this consultancy shall remain the property of the UN Technology Bank for LDCs and UN-OHRLLS.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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