Terms of references (TdR)

MEAL Officer - Somalia

Duty station / Country

Somalia, Mogadishu with missions to COOPI field offices.

Duration

6 months (Renewable)

Project title (if applicable)

Officer covering the whole COOPI Somalia Programs portfolio

Starting date (or ToR revision date)

March 2026

Line Manager

MEAL Coordinator (or Head of Programme in his/her absence)

Functional Manager

Head of Programme

Salary range

According to COOPI salary grid for national staff and as per experience of the candidate.

About COOPI

COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts and natural disasters. For more than 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

COOPI in Somalia

COOPI has been active with its humanitarian and resilience programs in Somalia since 1984. COOPI has been implementing emergency and long-term resilience building projects including food security and livelihoods, nutrition, water and sanitation and health, to improve the living conditions of thousands of vulnerable families.

COOPI has been providing response and supporting the most basic and pressing needs of communities in Southwest State, South Central, Banadir and Jubaland. COOPI has a long-standing presence in those locations providing both emergency humanitarian support and building resilient livelihoods through a multi-sectoral approach with specific focus on crisis affected populations. COOPI's main operational and coordination offices are located in Mogadishu, Baidoa and Dollow. COOPI also has a support and regional office in Nairobi.

Purpose of the role

The MEAL officer, who operates at national coordination level inside the Programs Team, supports the MEAL Coordinator and the Head of Programme in the adoption of the MEAL system - with its tools and guidelines - in the country. In Somalia, She/ He will support the Head of Programme in the development of objectives and methodologies for the aggregation and analysis of project data at the country level to contribute to the improvement of the quality of the programs.

Main responsibilities

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Officer will be responsible for ensuring high quality MEAL across COOPI Somalia, including capacity building of program (national) staff. (S)he will also provide crucial operational and follow up support for all MEAL needs in all projects. The MEAL Officer will work under the direct supervision of the MEAL Coordinator (or the Head of Programme in his/her absence), Project Managers will report to MEAL Officer for the MEAL Project Activities.

Specifically, the MEAL Coordinator will be responsible for or provide support to the MEAL Coordinator and Head of Programme on the following areas.

1. Development of COOPI Somalia MEAL department

·         Contribute to develop a program framework at country level with sector-specific indicators/evaluation questions, source of verification and tools for analysis, in coordination with the Head of Programme (HoP) and the Regional Programme Coordinator, and under the supervision of the Head of Mission (HoM).

·         Support the project’s teams in the synthesis, aggregation and analysis of data from projects, from monitoring and evaluation missions and from self-assessment exercises to inform future planning.

·         Support the development and update of standard methodologies and tools for collecting data by sector, taking as a reference COOPI’s methodological indications at global level contained in the SoPs, in coordination with the Regional Programme Coordinator.

·         Prepare and update a list of documentary resources to carry out MEAL activities.

·         Contribute in drawing up a list of recurring costs/ expenses for MEAL activities to backstop data collections.

2. Proposals’ Development

·         Contribute to develop the MEAL plan in line with the project proposal and budget, as well as any additional MEAL document and tool required by each Calls for Proposal (CfP), in coordination with the proposal development coordinator.

·         Support the MEAL Coordinator/ Head of Programme in validating any (Rapid) Needs Assessments survey required in the framework of CfPs, supervising the data collectors’ team and providing them with technical support. Support the MEAL Coordinator and the Head of Programme in carrying out the data analysis to be enclosed in the submitted proposals.

·         Ensuring MEAL activities and costs are properly budgeted in each new proposal developed.

·         Supporting the proposal development team in conducting the risk assessment in the identified area of intervention. 

3. Projects’ Monitoring

·         Provide technical support to the PMs in monitoring each project’s indicators at any log-frame level.

·         Provide methodological and technical guidance to project’s teams in carrying out beneficiary registrations, baseline, endline, assessments, post-distribution monitoring, or any other data collection exercise included in the MEAL plans.

·         Support the MEAL Coordinator and the Head of Programme in analyzing the data collected elaborating baseline, endline, and any other report which is required under the ongoing projects, using COOPI or SomRep/SCC tools if needed.

·         Ensure the regular update of monitoring reports by the PMs, using COOPI’s MEALLY and providing them with technical support if requested.

·         Support the MEAL Coordinator and the Head of Programme in elaborating comprehensive analyses of projects’ progresses based on each project’s monitoring reports, in coordination with the HoP.

• Support the MEAL Coordinator and the Head of Programme in ensuring any type of revision affecting the MEAL plan, the targets and the sources of verification to the HoP and the Regional Programme Coordinator, in order to ensure a timely communication with the donors, if required. 

·         Carry out field monitoring missions when requested, in coordination with the MEAL Coordinator/ Head of Programme, the logistics team and the Security Focal Point of the specific area.

4. Assessments

·         Provide technical support and contributes to facilitate - if necessary - the mid-term/annual/after-action review (AAR) conducted by the PMs with the project staff.

·         Provide technical guidance to Third Party Monitoring (TPM) and external evaluation exercises by coordinating the MEAL team in the field, and by ensuring the revision of the related ToRs’, as well as the elaboration of inception and final reports to maintain the process’ quality and rigor.

·         Support the MEAL Coordinator/ head of Programme in the conduction of (Rapid) Needs Assessments under SCC-funded activations, ABC forums, and any other programs implemented by COOPI Somalia, providing technical support during the exercise, and ensuring quality of reporting.

·         Collect information and data on food security, WASH, livelihoods and Cash transfer activities at district level through surveys, assessments and regular post distribution monitoring of beneficiary households.

·         Support the PMs the preparation of the means of verification required for the implementation of field activities.

5. Accountability

• Support projects’ teams to incorporate participatory methods into community level MEAL systems and tools, including the AAP Risk Project Matrix.
• Orient projects’ teams and local partners on the basic principles and practices of beneficiary accountability, including the adoption of gender-sensitive approaches.
• Ensure that the beneficiary feedback is adequately documented, addressed, analyzed, and utilized by programme teams. (Roll out of CFM mechanism)
• Ensure the monthly compilation of CFM Logbook.

6. Learning

·         Support the MEAL Coordinator and the Head of Programme in conducting regular training sessions for the Project Managers (PMs) on COOPI’s MEAL tools and guidelines, including the MEALLY.

• Whenever required, and in coordination with the MEAL Coordinator and the Head of Programme, ensure the regular review of each project’s MEAL plan and tools, in response to any change or development occurred in the field.

7. Coordination

·         In coordination with the MEAL Coordinator and the Head of Programme, validate all MEAL-related information, report, analysis and assessment, before being shared with external stakeholders, i.e. partners, consortiums, institutions, ABC forums, etc.

·         Regularly liaise with the MEAL teams of COOPI partners, including SomRep and SCC, on any MEAL subject, including the revision of RNA forms, activation forms or other templates, and promptly refer it to ECHO PM and the HoP.

·         Ensure the attendance of MEAL technical sessions and meetings conveyed by the SomRep and the Somali Cash Consortium (SCC), when specifically required and in coordination with the MEAL Coordinator and the Head of Programme.

·         Support the MEAL Coordinator/ Head of Programme in the surveillance of the cash transfer modality in COOPI’s implementation areas liaising with the MEAL Technical Unit of the SCC’s lead, in order to secure the achievement of SCC-funded program results.

·         Participate in COOPI Somalia monthly coordination and technical project meetings.

·         Participate as COOPI Focal Point to the assigned National and State level clusters, and ensure MoMs are regularly shared with COOPI Somalia senior management.

Requirements (education required, years of experience, technical skills, soft skills)

ESSENTIAL

• University (Bachelor’s & preferably Master’s) degree in the field to Statistics, Sociology, Social sciences, international development, Political sciences or related field;
• Minimum of 3 years of work experience working with NGO on project management related roles among which 2 years of experience should be on MEAL responsibilities in a similar position;
• Experience and knowledge of monitoring, evaluation and needs/impact assessment methods;
• Experience of at least 2 years in Somalia, working on emergency and resilience-building programs.

DESIRED

• Excellent verbal and written skills AND good written and spoken English.

·         Experience in report writing with excellent communication, writing and analytical skills.

·         Familiar with the context in Somalia.

• Familiarity with beneficiary accountability mechanisms.
• Proficiency in database development/management, and skills in analyzing, interpreting and communicating data.
• Experience in conducting assessments, PDMs and surveys.
• Skills and knowledge in Accountability, PSEA and beneficiaries’ complaint and feedback mechanisms.
• Skills in designing and implementing information management and performance measurement frameworks.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, and ability to work under pressure;
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong computer proficiency, particularly with Microsoft Excel, Access, World, Statistical application including SPSS, Mobile data collection applications, etc.

·         Willing and able to be based and travel regularly within remote areas, where services are limited.

How to apply

Interested candidates who meet the required qualifications and experience are invited to submit their applications through the following google form link https://forms.gle/qgz4omFraPGZ6rZS9 with subject line as ‘Meal Officer’’ by 28th February 2026

The application should be a cover letter and CV as one document and indicate the title of the position on the subject line this will ensure we capture your application in the right way.

Applications should include contact details of three professional referees. One referee must be the applicant’s Immediate supervisor. 

COOPI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted