Chief Business Officer; CBO

Important dates

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

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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…