Chief Business Officer

Paramount Students; Remote; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing edtech startup is seeking a Chief Business Officer (CBO) on a volunteer basis to lead business strategy and operations. The role involves developing revenue generation strategies, managing global partnerships, and overseeing market expansion. Ideal candidates will have proven leadership experience in edtech or SaaS environments and a passion for transforming education. The position is unpaid currently but includes potential for equity and a transition to a paid role after fundraising.

Qualifications

• Proven business or commercial leadership within edtech, SaaS, or global education.
• Strong ability to design growth-focused business strategies in startups.
• Demonstrated success in building and scaling international partnerships.
• Deep understanding of monetizing multi-stakeholder platforms.
• Strong team leadership, mentoring, and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Thrives in high-growth environments and ambiguity.
• Passionate about transforming education and access to opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategies that drive revenue generation.
• Lead partnerships with universities and education organizations.
• Identify high-potential markets for geographic expansion.
• Build a global business development team.
• Act as a primary representative to commercial stakeholders.
• Design pricing strategies for student services and subscriptions.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, and marketing teams.
• Define and track key business metrics to measure performance.

Skills

Business leadership

Strategic vision

Global partnerships

Revenue expertise

Leadership

Communication skills

Adaptability

Mission-driven

Job description

Job Title: Chief Business Officer (CBO) (Unpaid, Volunteer)

Location: Remote

Duration: 20 weeks (with potential extension or transition to a paid, official position + ESOP)

Overview

Paramount Students, a fast-growing global edtech platform, is seeking a strategic and entrepreneurial Chief Business Officer (CBO) to join our executive team on a volunteer basis. As the CBO, you will oversee all business strategy and commercial operations, including institutional partnerships, revenue development, market expansion, and cross‑functional alignment across multiple education sectors. This is a rare opportunity to shape the business architecture of a purpose‑driven startup that’s redefining global student mobility and enrollment systems.

Responsibilities

Business & Commercial Strategy

• Develop and execute business strategies that drive revenue generation, institutional onboarding, and global student acquisition.
• Align commercial goals with the long‑term vision of building the world’s largest verified student marketplace.

Strategic Partnerships

• Lead partnerships with universities, high school associations, education agents, accommodation providers, and student service organizations.
• Negotiate commercial terms, co‑branding agreements, and long‑term collaboration frameworks.
• Drive monetization through SaaS tools (CRM for schools/universities), application bundles, education tourism, and sponsored promotions.
• Build scalable, diversified revenue streams tied to enrollment, applications, and institutional usage.

Global Market Expansion

• Identify high‑potential markets and lead geographic expansion, with focus on Southeast Asia, MENA, and North America.
• Develop commercial relationships with embassies, scholarship bodies, ministries, and student networks.

Sales & Business Development Leadership

• Build and lead a global business development team focused on onboarding institutions and partner networks.
• Set sales KPIs, revenue targets, and operational standards across verticals (UPP, CRM, Education Tourism, etc.).

Stakeholder Management

• Act as a primary representative to commercial stakeholders including investors, institutional partnerships, and government‑linked organizations.
• Support CEO and founding team in investor discussions, pitch materials, and strategic growth milestones.

Pricing & Product Bundling

• Design pricing strategies for student services, institutional subscriptions, and paid features.
• Oversee bundled offerings across applications, accommodation, and visa support to maximize product adoption and lifetime value.

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Collaborate closely with product, engineering, and marketing teams to ensure business priorities align with platform development.
• Drive coordinated execution across teams to accelerate growth and service adoption.

Business Performance Analysis

• Define and track key business metrics to measure performance, revenue progress, and market penetration.
• Use data‑driven insights to refine business strategy and improve commercial outcomes.

Qualifications

• Experience: Proven business or commercial leadership within edtech, SaaS, or global education environments.
• Strategic Vision: Strong ability to design growth‑focused business strategies in fast‑moving startups.
• Global Partnerships: Demonstrated success in building and scaling international partnerships.
• Revenue Expertise: Deep understanding of monetizing multi‑stakeholder platforms.
• Leadership: Strong team leadership, mentoring, and stakeholder management skills.
• Communication: Excellent communication and negotiation skills; comfortable representing the company externally.
• Adaptability: Thrives in ambiguity, high‑growth environments, and resource‑lean settings.
• Mission‑Driven: Passionate about transforming education, student mobility, and access to opportunities.

Compensation

This position is unpaid at the current stage. However, it includes eligibility for equity through Paramount Students’ ESOP and potential transition to a full‑time paid role upon successful fundraising.

Application Process

If you’re passionate about education, technology, and building high‑impact business strategies, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience and your vision for the future growth and business trajectory of Paramount Students.