Chief Business Officer (CBO)

Harmless Cic; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Harmless CIC seeks a Chief Business Officer to join the Senior Leadership Team and drive growth, market expansion, and strategic partnerships. Reporting to the CEO, you will bridge strategy and execution, overseeing business development, planning, brand positioning, and financial oversight across multi-site operations.

The role requires senior leadership experience in a social enterprise or healthcare context, with a focus on profitability, governance, and trauma-informed values.

Qualifications

• Executive Leadership: proven track record in senior business leadership roles.
• Specialism: experience in social enterprise, CIC, non-profit or healthcare.
• Financial: extensive budgeting, forecasting, and contract negotiation experience.
• Marketing & Growth: capable of brand positioning and revenue growth.
• Process & Systems: strong IT, facilities, and data-driven decision making.
• Values Alignment: commitment to trauma-informed, user-led mental health initiatives.
• Organisational: alignment with Harmless CIC values and continuous improvement.
• Resilience: ability to adapt and lead through change.

Responsibilities

• Direct financial governance, budgets, forecasts, and cash flow planning.
• Set pricing, cost models, and margins for tenders and contracts.
• Oversee brand, marketing, fundraising, and business growth initiatives.
• Lead cross-department collaboration for commercial objectives.
• Manage IT, facilities, and system improvements across sites.
• Embed strategic planning and operational execution within SLT.

Skills

Executive Leadership

Social enterprise / CIC

Financial management

Marketing growth

Process & systems

Values alignment

Organisational alignment

Resilience

Job description

Closing date: Sunday, 20th September 2026 Interviews : Week commencing 5th October 2026 Full-time. Harmless operates a 4-day working-week model with full-time staff working 32 hours per week. £40,307 per annum, pro rata, rising to £41,516 per annum, pro rata, on successful completion of a probationary period.

MAIN PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE JOB

As Harmless expands its position as a national centre of excellence for self-harm and suicide prevention, the Chief Business Officer (CBO) will join the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to drive corporate growth, expand market reach, and oversee high-level strategic partnerships and business operations. As a senior executive reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the CBO bridges high-level strategy and day-to-day commercial execution. Drive long-term growth and profitability for Harmless CIC through strategic partnerships, new markets, and client relationships. Sitting as an executive peer alongside specialist leads - the Chief Academy Officer, Chief Clinical Officer, Chief Service User Care & Experience Officer, and Chief HR Officer, the COO takes direct operational ownership of Business Development, Strategic Partnerships, Strategic Planning, Brand Positioning and Financial and Operational Oversight.

Position in the organisation: Senior Leadership Team (SLT) Reports to Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Strategic Finance Management

   • Financial Oversight: Provide primary executive oversight of overall budgeting, forecasting, resource allocation, cash flow management, and long-term financial modelling in direct partnership with the Finance Manager.
   • Pricing & Contract Modelling: Establish pricing structures, cost models, and profit and margin targets for public sector tenders, NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) contracts, local authority SLAs, and corporate partnerships.
   • Compliance & Governance: Safeguard financial governance, risk matrices, annual audits, and statutory reporting within the Community Interest Company (CIC) framework.

2. Brand Positioning, Marketing & Business Growth

   • Brand Advancement: Lead national marketing, PR, and communications strategies to strengthen brand recognition for Harmless CIC and its specialised delivery arms (The Tomorrow Project and Fearless).
   • Business Growth: Identify and secure diverse, multi-stream funding across public sector commissioning, corporate patrons, charitable foundations, and commercial trading.
   • Cross-Departmental Commercialisation: To work alongside clinical, training, education and other areas of business to achieve commercial aims and objectives.
   • Lead Generation and Client Acquisition : Identifying and qualifying potential high-value clients.
   • Pitching products or services to prospective buyers and stakeholders.
   • Market Research and Analysis: Researching sector trends, competitor activity, and new geographic or product markets.
   • Identifying opportunities and growth potential.

3. Operations, Facilities & Infrastructure

   • Business Operations: Direct non-clinical central functions, including IT infrastructure, facilities, administrative workflows, and business support teams.
   • Systems Optimisation: Modernise internal tools, data systems, and CRMs to eliminate operational friction and improve cross-departmental coordination.
   • Multi-Site Facilities: Oversee property management, health & safety compliance, and physical logistics across central headquarters and regional operations.

4. Senior Leadership Integration

   • SLT Integration: Act as an active, collaborative member of the executive team, embedding commercial discipline and operational clarity into organisational decision-making.
   • CEO Operational Partner: Translate the CEO's strategic vision into sustainable business infrastructure and actionable operational plans.
   • Values-Led Leadership: Champion an empathetic, trauma-informed, and compassionate leadership approach that reflects Harmless 's core user-led ethos.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

• Executive Leadership: Proven track record in a senior business or operational leadership role (Essential)
• Specialism: Knowledge and Experience of working within a social enterprise, CIC, non-profit, or healthcare provider. (Desirable)
• Financial: Extensive experience overseeing complex budgets, financial compliance, and contract negotiations. (Essential)
• Marketing & Growth Vision: Successful background in brand positioning, public sector bidding/tendering, and driving top-line revenue growth across multi-faceted organisations. (Essential)
• Process & Systems Mindset: Strong understanding of IT systems, facilities management, business process optimisation, and data-informed decision-making. (Essential)
• Values Alignment: Deep commitment to trauma-informed care, empathy, equity, and user-led mental health initiatives. (Essential)
• Organisational: An alignment with Harmless CIC values, ethos, and standards, including a proven commitment to continuous improvement. (Essential)
• Resilience: The ability to identify and