Senior Program Manager - Canva Foundation

Overview

This position is a 12-month fixed-term contract beginning in September or October 2026, intended to cover parental leave. Join a dynamic team dedicated to transforming how design impacts the world through social initiatives.

Work Environment

Based in Sydney, you will work from Canva's flagship campus located in Surry Hills, offering a collaborative and comfortable workspace. The role embraces a hybrid work model, providing flexibility to work remotely while encouraging in-person collaboration at the office when needed.

About Canva Foundation Group

The Canva Foundation Group is the social impact hub of Canva, instrumental in advancing the company's dual goals: building a globally valuable company and maximizing positive social contributions. This team provides expertise in social impact, developing best practices and executing programs that prioritize meaningful impact rather than just business output.

The team is lean and globally distributed across Sydney, Melbourne, Manila, Austin, and London, focusing on structure, outcome-driven results, and fast-paced delivery.

Role Summary

This role is initially focused on leading social impact programs in the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) region. Responsibilities include overseeing the Canvanaut volunteering program in ANZ, evolving to a global program management role after November 2026 across several international regions (US, EMEA, SEA).

Key Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the ANZ Canvanaut engagement strategy for foundation-led programs.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for volunteering and Step Two initiatives in the ANZ region, managing stakeholder requests and supporting program leads.
• Coordinate and deliver flagship volunteer events and other high-profile engagement opportunities regionally.
• Identify and resolve process inefficiencies by creating new playbooks, templates, and integrating AI-assisted workflows for scalability.
• From November 2026 onwards, manage the global delivery cadence including coordination with regional leads to assess progress and tackle challenges.
• Continuously monitor program delivery globally, proactively addressing risks and balancing ANZ-focused work with global oversight.
• Collaborate with the Impact Lead to produce reporting and measurement of outcomes and partner with the Head of Social Impact on enabling broader social initiatives.
• Exercise autonomy in decision-making while knowing when to escalate matters appropriately.

Candidate Profile

• Proven extensive program management background in social impact, preferably within software or technology companies.
• Experience creating and managing scalable engagement or volunteering programs across large, distributed communities.
• Excellent operational and programmatic capabilities, skilled at translating strategies into actionable plans across multiple teams or regions.
• A systems-oriented thinker who develops repeatable processes and embraces AI tools to enhance impact rather than workload.
• Strong communication aptitude with comfort in public speaking and confident engagement across formats.
• Natural at building relationships and influencing without direct authority, able to mentor senior peers regionally.
• Deep commitment to social impact driven by alignment with Canva's mission and values.

Benefits and Culture

At Canva, ambitious goals drive hard work balanced with engaging, supportive, and enjoyable workplace experiences. Diverse benefits support employee well-being both professionally and personally.

Additional Information

• The company seeks to hire based on experience, skills, enthusiasm, and cultural fit.
• Applicants are encouraged to share their pronouns and any accommodations needed during interviews.
• Canva values diverse skills and experiences and welcomes candidates who may not perfectly match all qualifications.
• Interviews will be conducted virtually.