Senior Technical Program Manager

Summary

Join Canva and redefine the world's design experience. Work from our Sydney or Melbourne campuses, co-working spaces in Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, or remotely. As a Technical Program Manager, you will oversee technical programs, collaborate with engineers, manage program delivery issues, navigate complex technical dependencies, and ensure consistent planning and documentation. You will also facilitate continuous improvement, cultivate a culture of technical excellence, and assist in implementing effective delivery methodologies. This role requires collaboration with various teams and stakeholders to deliver Canva's critical initiatives. Canva offers equity packages, inclusive parental leave, a wellbeing allowance, and flexible leave options.

Requirements

• You have at least 5 years of experience as a Technical Program Manager in product or platform teams at a tech company
• You have a deep understanding of modern internet architecture, including RESTful APIs, distributed systems, observability tooling, and infrastructure scalability
• You have experience participating in architectural trade-off discussions with senior engineering stakeholders
• You have partnered closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers to lead cross-functional initiatives from idea through to delivery
• You have operated in high-scale environments where performance, resilience, and efficiency are core to product success
• You have a collaborative leadership style, using influence over authority to align teams around a common vision
• You have strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, particularly in technical and executive environments
• You have experience applying both Agile and plan-driven methodologies, choosing the best approach for each program
• You have a passion for solving complex, ambiguous problems and turning them into scalable, actionable programs
• You have a strategic mindset and can balance long-term goals with immediate execution needs
• You have a continuous improvement mindset, always looking to elevate your TPM craft
• You have a strong bias for action, equally comfortable setting direction and diving into the details

Responsibilities

• Oversee the execution of technical programs across diverse teams and projects, with a keen understanding of architectural ramifications and technical dependencies
• Collaborate with senior engineers and team leads to evaluate technical risks, analyze architectural trade-offs, and ensure program decisions align with long-term scalability objectives
• Manage ongoing issues related to program delivery, effectively communicating between technical and non-technical stakeholders regarding these issues, as well as the long-term impacts on Discovery systems due to immediate program goals
• Navigate complex technical dependencies across teams and technologies, understanding the impact of changes on the Discovery systems
• Ensure a consistent approach to planning, documentation, and core practices across teams to foster meaningful velocity and enhance the scalability of operations at Canva
• Facilitate continuous improvement processes aimed at increasing the effectiveness of product development and engineering teams
• Cultivate a culture and environment that encourages technical excellence and innovation
• Assist engineering leads in implementing effective delivery methodologies during goal planning, including milestone shaping/scoping, prioritization, estimations, and capacity planning
• Collaborate with Group Leadership to support the delivery of Canva’s most critical, complex, and multidisciplinary initiatives

Benefits

• 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