Copy of Legal Counsel, Export Control & Sanctions

Canva

Canva

Legal
Seattle, WA, USA
USD 168k-232k / year
Posted on Dec 20, 2025

Company Description

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.

Hey, g'day, mabuhay, kia ora,你好, hallo, vítejte!

Thanks for stopping by. We know job hunting can be a little time consuming and you're probably keen to find out what's on offer, so we'll get straight to the point.

Where and how you can work

Our flagship campus is in Sydney. We also have a campus in Melbourne and co-working spaces in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, as well as offices in the US (Austin, TX and in San Francisco, CA). You have choice in where and how you work. That means if you want to do your thing in the office (if you're near one), at home, or a bit of both, it's up to you.

About the team

Canva is seeking a Legal Counsel to advise on Export Controls and Economic Sanctions and other regulatory and compliance matters.

The role will be part of the Business Operations Team within Legal and will support Canva’s global business operations including incoming and outgoing payments, and software exports and ad hoc projects such as acquisitions due diligence. You will play a key role in delivering our strategy to become The World’s Most Trusted Platform.

You will join a dynamic, global legal team working on a variety of innovative technologies with interesting legal considerations. You will be required to leverage your expertise, good judgment and strong business sense to make complex laws simple and assist with swift decision-making in our fast-paced environment.

You’ll work to ensure Canva continues to operate in a risk aware way, meeting our community and regulator expectations.

What you'll do

As Canva scales, change continues to be part of our DNA. But we like to think that's all part of the fun. So this will give you the flavour of the type of things you'll be working on when you start, but this is likely to evolve.

  • Support Canva’s global business activities and expansion with advice on export controls, sanctions and other regulatory matters as relevant
  • Be the first point of contact for the business and the legal team for subject matter expertise
  • Monitor the regulatory landscape for new or changing export control and sanctions laws
  • Help business stakeholders, team members, product managers, and engineers to evaluate the impact of export and sanctions laws on business operations and strategically respond to changes
  • Implement, monitor and report on export control and sanctions compliance programs
  • Advise on escalations from routine vendor due diligence
  • Support with Canva-wide export controls and sanctions legal training and awareness initiatives
  • Help us redefine the role of in-house counsel - build tools and processes for continued growth and success

What we're looking for:

  • Legally qualified (AUS/NZ, UK, EU or US bar admission)
  • At least 5-7 years practicing law with some experience in-house, preferably in a global technology company
  • Demonstrated experience of providing legal advice on export controls and sanctions regulations to rapidly growing technology companies, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and sanctions regulations promulgated by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
  • Demonstrated experience with providing comprehensive advice on the extraterritorial application of US rules and how they interact with other countries' regulations
  • Demonstrated experience of developing, implementing, and updating compliance policies and training programs relating to export controls and sanctions
  • Ability to conduct risk assessments and compliance audits related to export controls and sanctions
  • Conduct legal due diligence on corporate transactions, such as mergers, acquisitions and investments, to identify and mitigate sanctions and export control risks
  • Prior experience working with AI and using it to drive efficiency in your work
  • ECoP, CGTLP or similar certifications are a plus

What's in it for you?

At Canva we value fairness, and we strive to provide competitive, market-informed compensation whilst ensuring internal equity within the team in each region. We make hiring decisions based on your skills, experience and our overall assessment of what we observed and learnt in the hiring process. The target salary range for this position is $168,000-$232,000. When calculating offers, we make salary decisions based on market data and candidates' skills and experience.

Achieving our crazy big goals motivates us to work hard - and we do - but you'll experience lots of moments of magic, connectivity and fun woven throughout life at Canva, too. We also offer a stack of benefits to set you up for every success in and outside of work.

Here's a taste of what's on offer:

  • An annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support your wellbeing, social connection, office setup & more
  • Flexible leave options that empower you to be a force for good, take time to recharge and supports you personally

Other stuff to know

We celebrate all types of skills and backgrounds at Canva so even if you don’t feel like your skills quite match what’s listed above - we still want to hear from you!

When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process. Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.

Check out lifeatcanva.com for more info.