Gregg Smith
Gregg Smith is a Consultant in the Climate Change theme at Itad. With experience in a range of qualitative methods, he specialises in resilience, policy change and climate finance. He joined Itad in October 2018.
At present, Gregg is working on HMG’s Climate Change Compass using realist evaluation methodologies to build theories around the mobilisation of private finance into low carbon markets and the UK’s influence on environmental policy overseas. He is also involved in Itad’ evaluation of WFP’s Bangladesh Country Strategic Plan and recently worked on DFID’s flagship climate resilience programme (BRACED), leading a case study in Kenya around policy dialogues on decentralised climate finance.
Prior to joining Itad, Gregg worked as a freelance consultant on a number of evaluations with Itad and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), including a qualitative evaluation of the World Bank-funded Social Safety Net Drought Response Project in Madagascar. He also supported the Strategic Evaluation of the WFP’s Support to Enhanced Resilience, an evaluation of DFID’s Building Capacity to Use Research Evidence (BCURE) programme and the Evaluation of DFID’s FoodTrade East & Southern Africa (FTESA) programme.
He is highly skilled at coding and analysing qualitative data, conducting interviews, report writing, and has excellent French language skills.
| Nationality: | British |
| Languages: | English (native), French (excellent), Malagasy (basic) |
Qualifications:
University of Sussex (Institute of Development Studies)
Lancaster University
Employment:
Itad Ltd.
Itad Ltd.
Independent
Project Experience:
(WFP) - Consultant
Itad is conducting the first evaluation of one of WFP's Country Strategic Plans (CSP) in Bangladesh, taking a utilisation focus and participatory approach in order to generate learning for future CSPs. Gregg and the team are conducting in-depth fieldwork in Bangladesh to assess the CSP alongside WFP's response to the Rohingya Crisis.
(DFID) - Consultant/Research Analyst
Itad is a core partner in a consortium delivering multi-year, multi-country support to the MEL processes for UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF). Gregg is currently working on two portfolio evaluations examining the policy influencing and the mobilisation of private finance into low carbon markets. Using realist evaluation methodologies, he is conducting key informant interviews, document reviews and building programme theories.
(DFID ) - Research Analyst
Itad has been contracted by DFID to work with a consortium of partners as the Knowledge Manager (KM) for DFID’s Building Resilience and Adapting to Climate Extremes and Disasters (BRACED) programme. Gregg worked on Component D2 of the extension programme (BRACED-X) and conducted a case study on policy dialogues around decentralised climate finance in Kenya. Gregg also provided research and analysis support to the wider D2 team.
(The Global Resilience Partnership) - Research Analyst/Assistant
The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) aims to help millions of vulnerable people in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia better adapt to shocks and chronic stresses and invest in a more resilient future. Gregg’s work on GRP included qualitative coding and analysis, quantitative data verification, report writing and supporting case study production.
(World Bank) - Research Officer (Independent)
Gregg worked with the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) as an independent Research Officer on their qualitative evaluation of the World Bank-funded SSNDR project in southern Madagascar. He designed and conducted key-informant interviews with a range of programme implementation bodies, government agencies, NGOs and local authorities in Madagascar. He also led a team of local researchers on a scoping mission to identify data collection sites and investigate immediate project impacts; analysed extensive qualitative datasets; and contributed to report writing.
(DFID) - Research Assistant (Independent)
Itad conducted a 3-year realist impact evaluation of the BCURE programme to strengthen the evidence base on how capacity building can promote evidence-informed policy, to inform decisions within and beyond DFID about whether to fund and how to design this type of programme in future. Gregg supported the team via qualitative coding of primary and secondary data.
(WFP) - Research Assistant (independent)
Itad’s strategic evaluation provided WFP with a robust body of evidence and expertise to support its decision-making relating to enhancing resilience. Gregg provided support to the team through qualitative coding of interview data, interview transcription and web survey data analysis.
(DFID) - Research Assistant (independent)
Itad is undertaking a longitudinal evaluation of DFID’s FTESA programme. Gregg supported consultants with qualitative coding of project documentation against frameworks and evaluation questions, as well as web survey data analysis.