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 and institutional frameworks that underpin the country’s food security system.

Under this project, IDLO is supporting 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.

As part of this effort, Intermediate Outcome 2 of the project aims to strengthen agricultural credit systems to enhance farmers’ access to finance—particularly for smallholder and women farmers—and to support sustainable agricultural productivity. This involves reviewing existing financial and legal frameworks, identifying barriers to credit access, and promoting inclusive, evidence-based reform proposals. 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 National Legal Consultant will provide technical leadership in reviewing, analyzing, and improving Jordan’s agricultural credit mechanisms, working closely with the National Agri-Finance Consultant, the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC, and IDLO.

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The purpose of this assignment is to review and analyze the legislative and regulatory frameworks governing agricultural credit in Jordan, identify legal inconsistencies and gaps that hinder access to finance, and propose practical recommendations to modernize the system.

The National Legal Consultant will contribute legal expertise to the design of reform proposals and training materials and ensure that recommendations align with national legal standards, policy objectives, and international best practices.

This assignment contributes to Intermediate Outcome 2 of the project:

“An evidence-based approach identifying the best agricultural credit practices and necessary changes endorsed.”

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 Intermediate Outcome 2 complement the legal reforms addressed under Intermediate Outcome 1, ensuring coherence between food security governance and agricultural credit frameworks. The National Legal Consultant, therefore, will consider the findings and recommendations emerging from the review of the national food security legal framework (Intermediate Outcome 1) to ensure alignment and coherence across project results.

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 Agri-Finance Consultant, the National Legal Consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1. Legal framework review

• Conduct a systematic legal review of existing legislation and regulations governing agricultural credit, including:
  • The Agricultural Credit Corporation (ACC) Law
  • Cooperative Laws
  • Solidarity Fund Law to Mitigate Agricultural Risk
  • Relevant bylaws, decrees, and policies
• Identify overlaps, inconsistencies, and barriers that limit access to finance, particularly for smallholder and women farmers.
• Propose amendments or new regulatory mechanisms to improve coherence and inclusion.

1. Coordination with financial review

• Work closely with the National Agri-Finance Consultant to ensure consistency between financial and legal analyses.
• Translate the financial findings and access barriers identified by the National Agri-Finance Consultant into actionable legal and regulatory reforms.

1. Drafting and reporting

• Draft sections of the Systemic Review Report focused on legal and regulatory aspects of agricultural credit.
• Contribute to the policy brief and final recommendations paper highlighting legal reform priorities.
• Ensure that all recommendations are aligned with the NFSS, national priorities, and international commitments.

1. Policy dialogue and validation

• Participate in validation workshops and policy dialogues to present findings and legal reform proposals.
• Provide legal clarification and support consensus-building among stakeholders.

1. Coordination and quality assurance

• Collaborate closely with the National Agri-Finance Consultant, Secretariat Unit of the HFSC, and IDLO to harmonize outputs.
• Ensure gender and inclusion considerations are integrated into the legal analysis and recommendations.

DELIVERABLES

The National Legal Consultant will deliver the following deliverables in line with the project’s implementation schedule. All deliverables will be produced in Arabic and English and should reflect national legal practices, gender responsiveness, and inclusivity, ensuring alignment with Jordan’s national legal and institutional frameworks:

1. Legal review report
2. Inputs to the systemic review Report and Policy Brief
3. Participation in validation and policy dialogue workshops
4. Final recommendations memo

Deliverables 2 and 3 will be produced jointly with the other National Agri-Finance Consultant. Each consultant will contribute to respective sections covering their area of expertise (financial mechanisms and institutional analysis for the National Agri-Finance Consultant; legal and regulatory frameworks for the National Legal Consultant). IDLO in coordination with the Secretariat Unit of the HFSC will consolidate and finalize the integrated report and policy brief.

Education and Experience

• Advanced degree in Law, preferably with specialization in Financial Regulation, Banking, Agricultural Law, or Economic Policy.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in legislative drafting, legal analysis, or policy reform in Jordan.
• Demonstrated experience in financial sector regulation, cooperative law, or rural/agricultural credit frameworks.
• Experience collaborating with government institutions, development partners, or legal reform initiatives.

Language

• Fluent oral and writing skills in English and Arabic are required.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong understanding of Jordan’s legal system and administrative law processes.
• Ability to interpret financial systems and translate technical findings into legal reforms.
• Knowledge of inclusive legal frameworks promoting access to finance for women and smallholders.
• Excellent analytical, drafting, and communication skills in Arabic and English.
• Ability to facilitate discussions with diverse stakeholders and build consensus around legal reform.

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 the provision of technical guidance, validation inputs, and comparative analysis to support the national review of Jordan’s food security legal framework, anticipated to be completed by June 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, validation processes, 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 Deadline: January 30,2026