BACKGROUND

The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) is an intergovernmental organization exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law. Established in 1983, IDLO works to enable governments and empower people to reform laws and strengthen institutions to promote peace, justice, sustainable development, and economic opportunity.

With support from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), IDLO is assisting the Government of Jordan (GoJ) in strengthening the legal frameworks governing the national food security system. The project supports the Ministry of Agriculture – Secretariat Unit of the Higher Council for Food Security / the Higher Food Security Council (HFSC) (hereinafter the “Secretariat Unit of the HFSC”) in implementing the National Food Security Strategy (NFSS) 2021–2030, the Economic Modernisation Vision (2023–2025) and its Executive Programme, and the National Plan to Improve Jordan’s Ranking on the Global Food Security Index.

Established in 2023 under the Ministry of Agriculture, the HFSC is mandated to oversee Jordan’s food security portfolio and lead reforms to enhance coordination, strengthen legal frameworks, and promote effective governance. IDLO will support the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC in conducting a systematic review of priority legislation governing food security to harmonize frameworks, strengthen governance, and improve implementation of the NFSS.

All activities will be implemented in close coordination with the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC, which provides strategic oversight for the project and ensures alignment with national priorities under the NFSS.

The International Food Security Consultant will work closely with the National Food Security Legal Consultant, providing strategic technical guidance, comparative legal insights, and quality assurance to ensure that all findings and recommendations reflect international best practices and global standards.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The purpose of this assignment is to provide strategic technical guidance, comparative legal expertise, and quality assurance to the review and reform of Jordan’s food security legal and institutional frameworks, in line with the NFSS and related plans.

Working in close collaboration with the National Food Security Legal Consultant, the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC, and IDLO, the International Food Security Consultant will ensure that the project’s analytical outputs and reform recommendations reflect international good practices, comparative legal experiences, and principles of inclusive and effective food security governance.

The International Food Security Consultant will also advise on aligning Jordan’s food security legal framework with global benchmarks and international standards promoted by the FAO, UN agencies, and relevant regional organizations.

This assignment contributes directly to Intermediate Outcome 1 of the project:

“National authorities agree on the legal reforms required to improve the implementation of the National Food Security Strategy considering gender responsiveness and the needs of vulnerable groups, including refugees.”

The assignment, however, forms part of a broader initiative supporting the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC in strengthening Jordan’s food security system. The legal and financial analyses under Outcome 2 complement the legal reforms addressed under Outcome 1, ensuring coherence between food security governance and agricultural credit frameworks.

Scope of work

Under the supervision of the IDLO Programme Lead-MENA and in coordination with the IDLO Programme Coordinator, the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC and the National Food Security Legal Consultant, the International Food Security Consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1. Technical guidance and oversight

• Provide strategic direction and oversight to ensure that the national review of Jordan’s food security legal framework aligns with international good practices and comparative experiences.
• Offer targeted guidance to the National Food Security Legal Consultant and Secretariat Unit of the HFSC during the review process to strengthen technical coherence and policy relevance.

1. Validation and quality assurance

• Review and validate key deliverables prepared by the National Food Security Legal Consultant—including the stakeholder mapping, consultation findings, and legal review report.
• Provide written feedback and technical recommendations to ensure accuracy, consistency, and adherence to principles of good governance and international standards.

1. Comparative legal analysis

• Prepare a concise Technical Note summarizing comparative experiences and lessons learned from relevant jurisdictions (e.g., EU, FAO member states, or middle-income economies).
• Highlight examples of effective legal and institutional frameworks that can inform Jordan’s reforms.

1. Cross-cutting considerations

• Ensure the integration of cross-cutting considerations—gender equality, youth empowerment, and the inclusion of vulnerable and refugee groups—in line with international best practices on inclusive food security governance.

1. Inputs to reports and policy dialogue

• Provide high-level technical inputs to the Comprehensive Legal Review Report and policy brief, emphasizing international lessons and reform options relevant to Jordan.
• Present comparative insights at the final policy dialogue/workshop, contributing to consensus-building among key national stakeholders.

1. Coordination and mentorship

• Participate in inception, mid-term, and final coordination meetings with IDLO, the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC, and the National Food Security Legal Consultant.
• Provide technical mentoring and backstopping to ensure effective integration of comparative insights and quality assurance across deliverables.

DELIVERABLES

The International Food Security Consultant will deliver the following outputs in line with the project’s implementation schedule. All deliverables will be produced in English and Arabic and should reflect international best practices, gender responsiveness, and inclusivity:

1. Technical review note on stakeholder mapping and consultation finding
2. Comparative input paper for the legal review report
3. International perspective section for the policy brief
4. Participation in the final policy dialogue/workshop

COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION

The International Food Security Consultant will work in close coordination with the National Food Security Legal Consultant, the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC, and IDLO to ensure coherence and complementarity across all deliverables.

The International Food Security Consultant will not duplicate the national legal review but will focus on validation, comparative analysis, and strategic technical guidance to enhance the quality, policy relevance, and impact of project outputs.

Education and Work Experience

• Advanced university degree in Law, Agricultural Economics, Food Security, Development Studies, Public Policy, or related fields.
• At least 12 years of professional experience in food security, agriculture, or related fields, with demonstrated expertise in international legal and policy reform processes.
• Proven experience in conducting and reviewing systemic legal and policy analyses at international or regional level.
• Strong record of advisory work with international organizations, multilateral agencies, and national governments.
• Experience integrating gender equality, youth inclusion and social protection dimensions into food security reforms.

Language

• Fluency in English and Arabic (written and spoken) is required.

Skills and Competencies

• Deep understanding of international and comparative food security frameworks, strategies, and governance systems.
• Ability to review and validate and strengthen technical outputs to ensure alignment with international standards and policy relevance.
• Strong analytical and drafting skills, with the ability to translate international lessons into practical, context-specific recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience in developing high-level policy briefs and strategic recommendations for decision-makers.
• Excellent facilitation and presentation skills to represent international perspectives in multi-stakeholder policy dialogues.
• Strong interpersonal and coordination skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with national experts and institutions, promoting knowledge transfer and capacity development.

For this recruited consultancy, IDLO shall offer the selected candidate a Single Engagement Contract.

This is a home-based consultancy assignment, with participation in meetings, consultations, and the final policy dialogue/workshop in Amman as required.

The consultancy is expected to commence in February 2026. The inception note is expected to be submitted by the end of March 2026, followed by stakeholder mapping, consultations, and legal and institutional review activities to support the review and systematization of Jordan’s food security legal framework, anticipated to be completed by June-July 2026.

The draft deliverables, including the technical review note on stakeholder mapping and consultation findings, the comparative input paper for the legal review report, and the international perspective inputs to the policy brief, are expected to be completed by July-August 2026, in line with the project’s implementation schedule.

The final deliverables, including validated written inputs and participation in the final policy dialogue/workshop, are expected to be completed by November 2026.

This is a results-based assignment, and payments will be made upon the satisfactory completion and acceptance of deliverables, in accordance with IDLO’s consultancy payment procedures. Deliverables will be reviewed and accepted by IDLO in coordination with the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC.

The final approach to consultations and any in-country engagement will be determined by IDLO in consultation with the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC and relevant stakeholders.

Applicants are requested to indicate their expected level of effort (number of working days) and proposed daily rate in their financial proposal.

Applications will be screened on a regular basis; a qualified applicant might be recruited before the deadline. In the interest of making the most effective use of resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted during the selection process.

IDLO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applications of qualified candidates of all backgrounds. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for IDLO vacancies.

IDLO does not tolerate sexual exploitation or abuse, any kind of harassment, including harassment of a sexual nature, or discrimination. As such, IDLO will conduct careful reference and background checks of all selected candidates as part of its selection process.

Application Deeadline: January 30, 2026