Head of People Technology & Operations

Canva

Canva

People & HR, IT, Operations
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posted on Feb 12, 2026

Job 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. But you have choice in where and how you work, we trust our Canvanauts to choose the balance that empowers them and their team to achieve their goals.

What you’d be doing in this role

As Canva scales, change continues to be part of our DNA. But we like to think that’s all part of the fun.

As our Head of People Technology & Operations, you’ll shape how internal services, systems and data come together to power seamless experiences for Canvanauts globally. While this role sits within the People Supergroup, we’re equally excited about leaders who’ve built and scaled internal platforms in high-growth tech environments - whether in HR, Finance, Customer Operations or other complex service ecosystems.

You’ll operate as a true product and technical leader within the People Supergroup, deeply connected to Canva’s broader Product and Engineering community. You’ll bring a strong point of view on AI-enabled operations, automation-first design, and modern data platforms and translate that into tangible impact across the entire employee lifecycle.

At the moment, this role is focused on:

  • Setting the long-term vision and strategy for People Operations, Technology and Data - aligned to Canva’s broader platform and AI direction

  • Reframing our People Helpdesk and service delivery model as a scalable, user-centred product

  • Evolving and modernising our HR tech ecosystem (including Workday and integrated systems) to unlock scale, automation and AI-driven insights

  • Elevating People Data as a strategic asset - improving governance, accessibility, and decision-ready insights for leaders

  • Leading multi-disciplinary teams across operations, product, technology and analytics

  • Driving simplification across policies, processes and systems while improving clarity, compliance and employee experience

You're probably a match if

  • You’ve led large-scale operational or platform functions in a high-growth, tech-enabled environment. This could be in People, Finance, Customer Operations, or another complex internal ecosystem

  • You think like a product leader - designing internal platforms and services with user experience, scalability and long-term architecture in mind

  • You’ve driven automation-first and AI-enabled transformation, reducing friction and unlocking smarter workflows

  • You understand how systems, data and service models connect, and can translate strategy into practical roadmaps and operating models

  • You’ve led multi-disciplinary teams spanning operations, technology, product and analytics

  • You’re comfortable influencing senior leaders across technical and non-technical domains

  • You bring strong judgment, clarity and a bias toward simplicity in complex environments


About the team

The People Supergroup is on a mission to empower our team to do the best work of their lives.

We build the experiences, systems and foundations that enable every Canvanaut to thrive - from onboarding to growth, rewards, performance and beyond. As Canva continues to scale globally, we’re evolving how People services are delivered, treating them as products, powered by smart platforms, trusted data and thoughtful automation.

This role sits at the heart of that transformation, shaping the future of how People experiences are designed and delivered at Canva.

What's in it for you?

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 range of benefits to set you up for every success in and outside of work.

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

  • Equity packages - we want our success to be yours too

  • Inclusive parental leave policy that supports all parents & carers

  • 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

Check out lifeatcanva.com for more info.

Other stuff to know

We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion, as well as how you can enhance Canva and our culture. When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process.

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!

Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.