Kiona | Chief Revenue Officer

Our client

Kiona is a SaaS company operating in an international environment, helping customers across areas such as real estate, municipalities, commercial and industrial properties, and energy. Its solutions combine software, data and energy-related technology to help customers manage and optimise their operations.

Kiona is now at an exciting point in its growth journey. The company has built a strong recurring-revenue business across several markets and is now looking to take the next step: strengthening its position in existing markets while building a more scalable model for global growth.

The ambition is not simply to grow country by country. Kiona is looking to build a global SaaS growth engine that combines direct customer relationships, partner-led growth, digital and inbound channels, and expansion of the existing customer base. This creates an opportunity to shape how Kiona goes to market globally and how the commercial organisation will operate in the years ahead.

As part of the Carel Group, Kiona benefits from a global network, market access, customer relationships and local presence across different markets, while maintaining its own entrepreneurial and agile way of working. Today, the commercial organisation comprises around 40 people across Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Poland and Germany, with an international partner network.

Kiona is now looking for a commercial leader who wants to help build what comes next – bringing together people, markets, partners and commercial capabilities into one scalable growth model.

Purpose of the role

As Chief Revenue Officer, you will take overall responsibility for Kiona's global commercial strategy and help shape the company's next phase of growth.

You will lead Sales, Marketing, Partner Growth and Customer Success, bringing these areas together into a scalable commercial model that supports sustainable SaaS growth. A key part of the role will be leading the transformation towards a more integrated global go-to-market approach, combining direct sales, partner growth, digital and inbound channels, and customer expansion.

Global expansion is a central part of the journey, with the ambition to grow beyond established markets and develop scalable ways to reach customers and partners in markets where Kiona does not yet have a local presence. You will work closely with the CEO, Executive Management Team, Board and Carel Group, while staying close to customers, partners and the market.

This is an opportunity to shape what Kiona will look like in the future. You will assess where Kiona is today, challenge existing ways of working and build the organisation, capabilities and commercial structure needed for the next stage. We are looking for someone who combines strategic leadership with a genuine interest in the hands-on side of building and growing a business.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute Kiona's global commercial strategy in line with the company's growth ambitions.

• Lead and develop the international Sales, Marketing, Partner Growth and Customer Success organisation as one integrated commercial function.

• Build a scalable SaaS commercial model covering the full revenue lifecycle, from acquisition and demand generation to retention, expansion and long-term customer value.

• Drive sustainable ARR growth while improving revenue quality, predictability and commercial profitability.

• Develop and implement a scalable global go-to-market model across geographies, customer segments and channels, combining direct sales, portfolio/tender opportunities, partner-led growth and digital/inbound routes to market.

• Lead Kiona's global expansion, developing repeatable ways to enter new markets and reach customers and partners without relying solely on local sales organisations.

• Build and scale Kiona's global partner network as a core growth engine – developing new partnerships, activating existing partners and continuously improving the partner model.

• Strengthen Marketing as an integrated part of the commercial engine, with a focus on demand generation, inbound marketing, market positioning and reaching relevant decision-makers.

• Stay close to strategic customers and key accounts and participate directly in important commercial discussions, tenders and opportunities. Ensure customer adoption, retention and expansion remain central to Kiona's growth.

• Use customer relationships, portfolio tenders and specification work to create market pull and activate or attract relevant partners.

• Co-own pricing, packaging and commercialisation together with Product, Finance and the CEO.

• Establish a performance-driven commercial operating model with clear ownership, KPIs, CRM discipline, pipeline management and reliable forecasting. Own the commercial revenue plan, forecast and budget.

• Use commercial, customer and market data to improve decision-making, identify growth opportunities and continuously improve commercial performance.

• Develop the organisation, leadership capabilities and ways of working needed for the next stage of growth, including coaching, talent development and succession planning.

• Work closely with Product, Finance and Operations to ensure commercial priorities are aligned across the business.

• Collaborate with Carel's regional commercial organisations, leveraging the Group's market access, customer relationships and partner network while retaining ownership of Kiona's commercial model and execution.

• Contribute to Kiona's overall strategy as a member of the Executive Management Team and provide strategic commercial insight to the CEO, Executive Management Team and Board.

Requirements

We are looking for an experienced commercial leader with a strong background in SaaS and recurring-revenue business models, combined with a proven track record of developing and scaling international business.

You have:

• Proven leadership experience in B2B SaaS and recurring-revenue business.

• Experience leading commercial growth across multiple markets or countries.

• A strong understanding of how to build and scale a SaaS go-to-market and revenue model.

• Experience across several commercial areas, ideally including Sales, Marketing, Partnerships and Customer Success.

• Experience developing or scaling partner-led commercial models.

• A solid understanding of SaaS commercial metrics such as ARR, NRR, GRR, churn, expansion revenue, CAC and Customer Lifetime Value.

• A track record of international growth, market development or entering new markets.

• Experience leading organisational or commercial transformation.

• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with the ability to connect strategy, revenue performance and practical execution.

• Experience with pricing, packaging, commercialisation and revenue planning.

• Experience working with customers and key accounts directly – you are comfortable being visible in the market and do not want to lead from behind a desk.

• The ability to work with data, KPIs and commercial performance information and turn insights into action.

• Experience developing commercial organisations, leaders and ways of working for the next stage of growth.

• Strong stakeholder management skills and experience working with senior leadership, executive teams and ideally Boards.

• An international mindset and experience from a global or internationally oriented SaaS/software environment.

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build trust across different teams, countries and stakeholder groups.
  

Your approach

You are curious, energetic and comfortable working in a fast-moving environment. You are willing to challenge existing ways of working, but you also understand the importance of respecting what has already been built.

You combine strategic thinking with hands-on commercial leadership and enjoy being close to customers, people and opportunities. You are comfortable moving between the bigger picture and the details that matter – from shaping international strategy and commercial models to discussing an important customer opportunity, challenging pipeline assumptions or working with a partner on how to open a new market.

You bring structure and accountability, but you also understand that growth requires curiosity, experimentation and the willingness to adapt.

Experience from Kiona's specific industries, such as real estate, energy or building technology, is valuable, but deep sector specialisation is not a requirement. Kiona is particularly interested in leaders who have worked across different verticals and business models and can bring ideas and commercial practices from the broader SaaS market.

Location & international scope

This is an international leadership role, with responsibility for supporting Kiona's growth across markets and working closely with both local teams and the wider Carel organisation. The role is part of Kiona's Executive Management Team and offers the opportunity to have a significant impact on the company's next stage of international growth and development.

Location: Ideally Trondheim, Norway or Gothenburg, Sweden.