Policy and Planning Mentor

The Australian Volunteers Program is seeking a Policy and Planning Mentor to live and volunteer for 12 months in the beautiful highlands of Ainaro Municipality, Timor-Leste.

• This assignment will support the Municipal Authority of Ainaro by reviewing and finalizing its Strategic Plan, assisting in policy review and development and strengthening strategic planning efforts to align with national decentralization objectives
• To be considered for this role, you’ll need a Bachelor’s degree in public policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Development Studies, or a related field
• You will work directly with the Secretary of the Planning Team, offering hands-on support to enhance service delivery systems, promote local ownership of development initiatives, and ensure alignment with directives from the Ministry of State Administration and national governance frameworks.
• As a volunteer, you will support strategic policy development and planning within the Municipal Authority. This assignment will contribute to improving service delivery, aligning municipal efforts with national decentralization goals, and fostering local ownership of development initiatives

About the Partner Organisation 

Since gaining independence in 2002, Timor-Leste has made progress toward decentralization, most notably through the 2009 territorial division law and the 2016 reforms that restructured municipal governance and enabled direct funding to municipalities. While central ministries still oversee core public services, municipalities like Ainaro now implement local programs across sectors such as education, health, agriculture, and infrastructure, under the leadership of the President of the Municipal Authority and the Municipal Council. The Ainaro authority is dedicated to inclusive and professional governance that promotes community well-being and sustainable development. This assignment is critical to the Municipality of Ainaro’s mission of strengthening local governance and driving meaningful decentralization. By supporting strategic policy development and planning within the Municipal Authority, this assignment will contribute to improving service delivery, aligning municipal efforts with national decentralization goals, and fostering local ownership of development initiatives. It will contribute to reinforcing the municipality’s vision of delivering fair, efficient, and high-quality governance that enhances the well-being of all residents.

About the Australian Volunteers Program  

The Australian Volunteers Program is an Australian government-funded initiative. We support partner organisations across the Pacific, Asia, and Africa to achieve locally led change.  

Volunteers are supported throughout their volunteer journey. We actively support and encourage people of all backgrounds and abilities to volunteer and aim to make the program as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you have accessibility requirements, please contact us to discuss how we can support you to volunteer with us - inclusion@australianvolunteers.com. Learn more about our commitment to inclusion.