Join Our Team: Interim Chief Commercial Officer (Fixed-term parental leave substitute ~12 months)

Maria 01 is one of Europe’s leading startup ecosystems, providing a thriving environment for 250+ ambitious early-stage startups, renowned investors and VCs, large enterprises and other ecosystem organisations. Maria 01 is located in the old Maria Hospital in Helsinki, Finland. 

Since its founding in 2016, Maria 01 has grown into one of Europe’s most impactful startup communities. Member and alumni companies have raised over €1 billion in funding and account for approximately 40% of all early-stage VC investments raised by Finnish startups annually. The community has also produced several major success stories - including Maria 01’s first unicorn, Linear, and other high-profile exits, such as Silo AI.

Position Overview

We are looking for an experienced and hands-on commercial leader to join the Maria 01 team as an Interim Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for a fixed parental leave cover. This is a senior leadership role, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with full commercial ownership of Maria 01’s partnership business, including everything from strategy to execution and revenue delivery. 

As Interim CCO, you will take end-to-end responsibility for partnership sales, personally leading commercial activities while also steering the overall partnership strategy. You will be a key member of the Maria 01 leadership team and lead our four-person Partnership Team, working closely with the CEO and the wider organisation.

The role is ideally set to start in mid to end February, allowing sufficient overlap for onboarding before the parental leave begins, and is based onsite at the Maria 01 Campus in Helsinki.

​​This role is ideal for a commercial leader with proven experience in B2B partnership sales or comparable roles, who is comfortable taking full revenue ownership and ideally brings an existing network of prospect partners relevant to the startup and innovation ecosystem.

What You’ll Do

Own and drive partnership revenue

• Take full ownership of Maria 01’s partnership sales across all offerings, from pipeline creation to deal closing

• Be accountable for meeting and exceeding commercial and revenue targets during the interim period

• Personally lead key sales processes and negotiations in a highly hands-on role

Lead partnership strategy & execution

• Oversee and continuously develop partnership sales processes, pipelines, and partnership offerings

• Own key partner accounts and ensure strong delivery, value creation, and long-term relationships

• Identify new partnership opportunities aligned with Maria 01’s mission and ecosystem role

Lead and support the Partnership Team

• Act as team lead for the four-person Partnership Team, providing direction, prioritisation, and support

• Ensure clear ownership, strong execution, and alignment with overall commercial goals

Be part of the leadership team

• Act as a core member of the Maria 01 leadership team, helping shape commercial priorities and organisational decision-making during the interim period.

• Work closely with the CEO and other leaders to align commercial priorities with the broader organisational strategy.

Who We’re Looking For

Senior commercial experience

• Proven experience in B2B partnership sales, strategic partnerships, or a comparable senior commercial role

• Strong track record of driving and closing revenue in complex, relationship-driven sales environments

Hands-on dealmaker

• Comfortable personally initiating and leading sales conversations, negotiations, and closings

• Enjoys operating close to the ground while maintaining a strategic overview

Strong network

• Ideally brings an existing network of potential corporate partners relevant to startups, innovation, or technology-driven industries

Leadership mindset

• Experience leading or managing teams, with a collaborative and empowering leadership style

• Able to take full ownership and make decisions independently in an interim context.

Language skills

• Fluent in English

• Finnish language skills are considered a plus, but are not required

What We Offer

• A senior leadership role at the heart of the Nordic startup ecosystem

• Full commercial ownership with visible impact on Maria 01’s growth and partnerships

• A highly influential interim position working closely with founders, corporates, investors, and ecosystem leaders

• An ambitious, collaborative team operating from the Maria 01 Campus in Helsinki

• Competitive salary and benefits package, including extended holidays, additional insurance coverage, and more.

How to Apply

Interested in joining our team? Please send your application and salary request by January 20th, 2026. We review applications on a rolling basis and will fill the position as soon as we find the right candidate.

Please note that this position requires daily on-site presence at our campus in Helsinki. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer relocation assistance.