CEDX Centre for Economic Development & Execution
Engage
Request a briefing For Donors (Support our Work)

Candidate Pre-Screening

AI & Tech Policy Expert

Research, funding and partnerships across CEDX programmes.

LocationRemote
ReferenceLI-4437405892
Stage2 of 2 — before interview
Time to complete15–20 minutes
IncludesA 30–180 second video

This is the final step before interview. Every submission is read and scored against a fixed rubric, so the quality of your answers and your video counts for more than the length of your CV.

Answer plainly. Self-ratings in Part II are checked against your video and written answers, so over-stating a skill weakens rather than strengthens your position. Your answers are kept on this device as you type, so you can close the tab, record your video, and pick up where you left off.

The role

What you would actually be doing

One person owns research, funding and partnerships at CEDX, working directly with the founder and using AI to do the work of a larger team.

The work

  • Research organisations, companies and funders in depth before we approach them — priorities, past awards, eligibility, and the right person to write to.
  • Draft, submit and report on grant applications end to end.
  • Open partnership, CSR and sponsorship conversations from a cold start.
  • Write clearly for a policy audience: briefs, concept notes, submissions.
  • Keep the pipeline honest — tracking, deadlines, follow-ups, records.
  • Use AI properly across all of the above, and know where it must not be trusted.

What we are looking for

  • Evidence of desk research that led somewhere, not just reading.
  • At least one grant or proposal you researched and wrote yourself.
  • Plain, precise English. No consultant filler.
  • Comfort being the only person on a task from start to finish.
  • Practical AI fluency, plus the judgement to check its output.
  • Comfort in an early-stage organisation where the remit moves.

Practicalities

Location
Remote
Hours
Full-time preferred; part-time considered
Start
Within one week of selection
Compensation
Discussed at interview — we do not ask for a figure here
Process
This pre-screening, then a call with the founder
Reference
LI-4437405892
Part I

Contact

Part II

Capability

Rate yourself on each area. Use the definitions below strictly — “Expert” means you have owned the work end to end, recently, and could teach it.

None — no exposure Working — supervised or occasional Strong — independent and recent Expert — owned end to end
Deep research on companies and organisations *

Desk research that precedes a grant, partnership or CSR approach.

Drafting and submitting grants, plus reporting *
Funder research — guidelines, eligibility, past awards *
Partnerships, CSR and cold outreach *
Clear writing for a policy audience *
Operations, administration and project tracking *
AI tools and workflows *

Comfort using AI for research, writing and day-to-day operations.

Part III

Working with AI

We use AI daily. We are looking for judgement about it, not enthusiasm for it.

Part IV

Video — 30 to 180 seconds

Required. Talk to camera; no editing, no slides, no script read aloud. We are listening for how you think, not how polished you are.

Cover three things, in this order:

  1. How you would handle all of it. This is one person doing research, funders, grants, partnerships and admin. How do you keep all of that moving without dropping it?
  2. Which tools you would use. Name them — AI and otherwise — and say what each one is for.
  3. How you would actually do it. Walk us through a normal week: what you do first, what you batch, where you check your own work.

Loom, YouTube (unlisted), Google Drive (set to anyone with the link), Vimeo or Dropbox all work. A phone camera is fine. Anything over 180 seconds is watched only to the 180-second mark.

Part V

Availability and fit

Compensation is discussed at interview, so we do not ask for a figure here.

Part VI

Evidence optional

Nothing here is required. It does carry weight in the score, so a complete Part VI puts you ahead of a candidate who leaves it blank. Specifics beat adjectives: name the organisation, the funder, the sum, the outcome.

What you researched, how deep you went, what you applied for or proposed, and the result.

Aim for 150–250 words

The funder, your role, how you used their guidelines, and the outcome — including if it was declined.

Aim for 120–200 words

Pick a real funder you know. In eight to twelve sentences set out (i) their priorities, (ii) eligibility, (iii) why CEDX might or might not fit, and (iv) what you would put in a one-page concept note. Name the funder. No filler.

Aim for 200–350 words

By submitting you confirm the answers and the video are your own work. Only shortlisted candidates are contacted.

Submission received

Reference —

  1. ReviewEvery submission is read, the video is watched, and both are scored against the rubric.
  2. InterviewStrong fits are invited to a call with the founder — this pre-screening replaces the first round.
  3. OutcomeYou will hear from us by email if we take it further. No need to follow up.