The Candidate Journey
1
Register on Our Network
Submit your registration at edwardswan.com. You will immediately receive our comprehensive Candidate Briefing Pack — covering our process, salary benchmarks, confidentiality commitments, and what we look for in the leaders we place.
2
Introductory Consultation
A specialist consultant conducts a confidential discovery call to understand your background, career ambitions, and the type of AI leadership roles you are targeting — whether actively seeking or exploring discreetly.
3
Profile Assessment — The Human-in-the-Loop Lens
We evaluate you against our proprietary framework, assessing strategic foresight, emotional intelligence, and ethical grounding — not solely technical credentials. We place the leaders who govern and orchestrate AI, not the engineers who build it.
4
Network Integration & Matching
Your profile is curated into our private leadership network — an ecosystem of the UK’s most forward-thinking AI architects. You are matched against live mandates and flagged proactively to relevant client organisations. Suitable candidates may be exclusively retained for specific searches.
5
Opportunity Presentation & Role Briefing
When a suitable opportunity arises, we provide a full confidential briefing covering the organisation, the role, salary, reporting lines, and strategic context — before any introduction is made. Your consent is always sought first.
6
Interview Preparation & Coaching
We provide tailored interview preparation with insight into the client’s culture and priorities, and guidance on positioning your experience effectively — including coaching specific to AI governance and orchestration roles.
7
Offer Management & Negotiation
We manage the offer process on your behalf — providing guidance on market rates, counter-offer risks, and contract terms. We advocate for outcomes that honestly reflect your true market value.
8
Placement, References & Onboarding Support
We facilitate reference verification discreetly and remain your point of contact throughout onboarding. We check in at regular intervals post-placement to ensure the role is performing as expected for both you and the client.
Outcome
Placed in an AI Leadership Role
CAIO · Head of AI Operations · Governance Director · AI Ethics Lead & more
The Client Journey
1
Initial Enquiry — Commission a Search
Submit an initial brief at edwardswan.com/start-a-search or contact us directly. Describe the role, your organisation’s context, and any pressing timelines. A specialist consultant will respond promptly to arrange a discovery meeting.
2
Discovery Meeting — Human Architecture Review
An in-depth consultation — in person or via video — to understand your AI deployment stage, existing management structures, strategic objectives, and the capability gap you are seeking to fill. We advise on role design where required.
3
Search Agreement — Terms, Fees & Timelines
We agree the search brief, fee structure, exclusivity terms, and target timeline in writing. We operate on a retained or contingency basis depending on seniority and urgency. Our standard search timeline is outlined clearly at this stage.
4
Market Mapping & Proactive Headhunting
We conduct a structured market map of target organisations and individuals, drawing on our curated network and proactive outreach. We do not rely on job boards. We identify and engage individuals who are often not actively seeking a new role.
5
Candidate Assessment — The HITL Standard
Every candidate is assessed against the Human-in-the-Loop framework: strategic leadership capability, AI governance literacy, emotional intelligence, and ethical grounding. Competency interviews, behavioural profiling, and structured scoring are applied before any candidate is presented.
6
Shortlist Presentation
We present a curated shortlist — typically three to five candidates — each accompanied by a detailed profile covering career narrative, assessment findings, compensation expectations, notice period, and our recommendation. We present quality, not volume.
7
Client Interviews & Coordination
We manage full interview scheduling and act as intermediary, gathering feedback from both parties promptly after each stage. We advise on interview structure for AI leadership roles and ensure a seamless, professional experience throughout.
8
References, Due Diligence & Offer Management
We conduct confidential reference verification and any additional due diligence required. We then manage the offer process — advising on remuneration benchmarks, handling negotiations diplomatically, and mitigating counter-offer risk on your behalf.
9
Placement, Onboarding & Aftercare
We remain engaged through the notice period and onboarding — ensuring any issues are addressed early. We conduct structured aftercare check-ins at 30, 60, and 90 days to confirm the placement is performing as intended for both you and the appointed leader.
Outcome
Your AI Management Layer, Built.
Strategy · Governance · Orchestration · A competitive advantage, not a liability