Tenders are invited for Legal Expert - Supporting the Ministry of Industry in Drafting Ministerial Decisions Related to the Updated Decrees on the Industrial Sector. Closing Date: 2 Apr 2026 Type: Consultancy Position Title: Legal Expert - supporting the Ministry of Industry in drafting ministerial decisions related to the updated decrees on the Industrial Sector. Duty Station: Beirut, Republic of Lebanon (the Ministry of Industry premises). Duration: 3 months (without exceeding 10 working days per month) Contract Type: Consultancy Vacancy Date of Issue: 26 March 2026 Vacancy Closure Date: 02 April 2026 National or International consultancy: National (LEBANESE NATIONALS ONLY) To review the full Terms of Reference (TOR), please follow link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xhoiMxXh1C_ZW4RqoHOu03tNEWwrYggH/view?usp=sharing BACKGROUND -Led Enterprises in Lebanon is a new project funded by the Government of Canada for a period of 3.5 years. The project aims at supporting gender-responsive job creation and help generating economic opportunities for women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across various productive sectors with high growth potential. Through this objective the project will be fostering the economic security, stability and prosperity of women entrepreneurs and women-led MSMEs in Lebanon. The project includes 3 main components: Component 1: processes that are more conducive to doing business, Component 2: Ensuring that women-led MSMEs have access to the financial resources to grow and remain sustainable, Component 3: Ensuring that women-led MSMEs receive the needed technical support to increase their access to local and international markets. The project was developed in response to the multiple crises that have hit Lebanon, in particular the financial crisis which have hindered the ability of MSMEs in general and women-led MSMEs to access the needed financing to grow. With the collapse of the banking system and the resulting depletion of all sources of financing, access to finance is considered as one of the biggest impediments for MSMEs and particularly women MSMEs to develop and take their business to the next level. This has compounded to the already existing barriers women entrepreneurs have been facing namely stringent collateral requirements, high interest rates, complex documentation processes, sub-optimal financial literacy, absence of market information, etc. Specific activities were designed to address the barriers hindering womens economic empowerment including access to information, finance, and markets. The project has prioritized women-led/owned businesses operating in Agro-food, Cosmetics and Cleaning, and Creative Industries which have strong growth and export potential, as well as the opportunity for greater women economic empowerment. By targeting these industries, the project aims to create opportunities for women to enter, thrive, and excel in both domestic and international markets. A key challenge identified in accessing the international market and the export process for SMEs in Lebanon is the legal and administrative burden associated with obtaining essential export-related documents, particularly the Industrial Certificate and Industrial Permit, both issued by the Ministry of Industry. Based on an assessment survey and benchmarking of export processes, UNDP has found that these legal requirements present significant bottlenecks that hinder SMEs especially women-led enterprises from engaging in international trade. To address this challenge, UNDP is supporting the Ministry of Industry in the automation of the Industrial Certificate and Industrial Permit issuance processes. This initiative aims to reduce administrative burdens on SMEs, improve efficiency, and facilitate a more streamlined export process. By digitizing these key procedures, the project will contribute to a more business-friendly environment, ultimately supporting SMEs in accessing international markets and expanding their trade opportunities. The automation of these processes will start with a business process re-engineering exercise which will require a full review of the steps, bodies and legal framework involved to issue the needed certifications. The mapping will entail revisions to clauses and decrees that would support in streamlining the licensing process. This Terms of Reference (TOR) outlines the scope of work, requirements, and expected outcomes for the legal expert who will be responsible for drafting a package of ministerial decisions based on the amended decrees, to update, harmonize and simplify the procedures and document requirements for the main industrial licensing services, in line with MoI digital transformation. SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK UNDP is seeking the services of a Short-Term Individual Consultant (Legal Expert) to - support the Ministry of Industry in drafting ministerial decisions related to the updated decrees on the Industrial Sector. Review, draft, and finalize ministerial decisions related to industrial licensing procedures and documentation, in line with digital transformation and the amendments to Decrees No. 7945/2002, 8018/2002, and 5243/2001 Under this consultancy, the Consultant is requested to complete the following tasks: Review existing ministerial decisions regulating the procedures and document requirements for industrial licenses and certificates Identify decisions that are outdated, or inconsistent with the amended decrees and the Ministrys updated mechanisms Propose a list of decisions to be repealed, including clear legal and administrative rationale for each Draft the required new ministerial decisions in Arabic (legal drafting) to put the updated mechanisms into effect Department, and relevant committees) to validate the drafts, and ensure they reflect operational realities, legal coherence, and consistency across all levels. Submit the final set of decisions, ensuring that introduced changes are formally approved, duly endorsed, and demonstrably applicable in practice. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES The Consultant is expected to complete the above tasks and activities, noting that the total duration should not exceed 3 months (without exceeding 10 working days per month). INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTs - The work is expected to start upon contract signature. - The consultant will work under the overall guidance of the UNDP WEE Project Manager in close coordination with the Ministry of Industry team. - The consultant will rely on his/her own means of communication and transportation. Transportation and communication fees for the consultant should be included in his financial offer. - The title rights, copyrights and all other rights whatsoever nature in any material produced under the provisions of this TOR will be vested exclusively in UNDP. UNDP has full ownership of the activity and of its final product. Thus, any public mention (including through social media) about the activity should state clearly that ownership. In addition, any public appearance related to the activity should be coordinated and approved by UNDP. - In the event of any delay, s/he will inform UNDP promptly so that decisions and remedial action may be taken accordingly. Delays that would affect the flow of the collaborative work and the delivery of outputs on schedule will lead to termination of contract. - Should UNDP deem it necessary, it reserves the right to commission additional inputs, reviews, or revisions, as needed to ensure the quality and relevance of the work. DURATION OF WORK The assigned duration for this consultancy is 3 months without exceeding 10 days per month. The mission is expected to commence on 15 April 2026, and to be completed by 15 July 2026. The time needed to review/ comment/ approve deliverables and outputs is (5) five working day. DUTY STATION The duty station is Beirut, Republic of Lebanon (the Ministry of Industry premises). STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education Bachelors degree in law. At least 8 years of experience in legislation drafting specially in relation to Lebanese Legislation. Language: Fluent in English and Arabic (both oral and written). The Personnel will be covered with Health insurance and Personal accident insurance; the fees shall be deducted from personnels monthly payment. Tender Link : https://reliefweb.int/job/4204565/legal-expert
