Senior Manager Data Science

About the role

This position leads data strategy for the Ecosystem division, focusing on integrating Canva into external workflows and AI tools. You will guide product and engineering teams by transforming complex data into actionable growth plans and long-term product vision. The role requires ownership of the end-to-end data lifecycle for a high-impact division, translating ambiguous business questions into rigorous analytical approaches. You will act as a strategic thought partner to executive leadership, ensuring decisions are grounded in robust evidence rather than intuition. Success in this role means building bridges between technical capabilities and business outcomes across the Canva ecosystem. You will own the narrative of the product through data, defining what success looks like for developers and AI-driven workflows. This is an opportunity to shape the foundational metrics that define how users interact with Canva beyond the editor. You will be instrumental in establishing the data backbone that supports the next generation of AI-powered creation tools.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Partner with product and engineering leadership to define the strategic roadmap and data vision for the Ecosystem division.
• Architect and own the measurement framework for the app ecosystem, ensuring coherence across AI-driven workflows, developer tools, and marketplace surfaces.
• Design and implement experiments that isolate causal impact on key business metrics within complex, multi-surface product environments.
• Establish a canonical set of AI evaluation metrics and build systems to track their performance throughout the product lifecycle.
• Analyze developer behavior and API usage patterns to identify friction points and opportunities for platform growth.
• Mentor and develop a team of senior data scientists, elevating the standard of strategic analysis and communication across the organization.
• Synthesize insights from quantitative and qualitative data to uncover hidden growth opportunities and nascent risks within the ecosystem.
• Translate ambiguous business objectives into clear hypotheses and success metrics that guide product launches and feature iterations.
• Collaborate with sales and go-to-market teams to build data-driven narratives that demonstrate the value of the ecosystem to customers.
• Continuously challenge existing assumptions by applying rigorous statistical methods and advanced modeling techniques to validate product decisions.

Requirements

• Proven experience as a senior data leader working directly alongside product executives and C-suite stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement measurement strategies for complex, multi-surface product systems with interconnected dependencies.
• Proficiency in SQL for extracting, transforming, and analyzing large datasets at scale.
• Advanced proficiency in either Python or R for statistical analysis, data modeling, and automation of reporting workflows.
• Extensive experience driving results in high-growth environments or early-stage product development where frameworks are constantly evolving.
• Exceptional communication skills to simplify complex data narratives and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• A track record of mentoring and developing other data professionals to improve the strategic output of the entire analytics organization.
• Deep understanding of data infrastructure concepts, including warehousing and pipeline architecture, to ensure data reliability and reproducibility.
• Comfortability working in an agile environment where priorities shift rapidly based on new insights or market changes.

Nice to have

• Experience establishing success metrics for new product categories where there is no predefined industry standard.
• Background working with API platforms, app marketplaces, or MCP server products and understanding of their economic models.
• History of providing data insights that directly support go-to-market strategies and sales enablement efforts.
• Familiarity with product analytics tools such as Amplitude or Mixpanel for behavioral analysis.
• Experience with A/B testing platforms and statistical methods for assessing experiment results.
• Knowledge of large language models and their evaluation techniques in the context of generative AI products.

Practical notes

• This is a full-time role based in Sydney, Australia.
• Interviews for this position are conducted virtually.
• When applying, please include your pronouns and any requirements for interview adjustments.
• Benefits include equity packages, inclusive parental leave, and an annual Vibe and Thrive allowance for wellbeing and home office needs.
• Flexible leave options are available to support a healthy work-life balance.
• The role reports to the Ecosystem division and works closely with global leadership teams.
• The successful candidate will engage with cross-functional stakeholders on a daily basis.
• Travel is not required for this position as per the current job description.
• The application process is designed to be inclusive and considers adjustments for accessibility.
• This position plays a critical role in the long-term vision of making design accessible through AI and external integrations.
• The successful applicant will contribute to a fast-paced environment where data informs every major strategic decision.
• Canva is committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of its global user base.
• The role requires a proactive approach to identifying problems before they escalate into larger business risks.
• You will be expected to present findings to both technical and non-technical audiences with clarity and precision.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and deliverables in a dynamic, high-performing team environment is essential.
• Data security and user privacy are paramount considerations in all analysis conducted for this role.
• This position is part of a broader effort to scale the ecosystem business through data-driven innovation.
• You will work closely with engineering to ensure that data pipelines are scalable, reliable, and efficient.
• The role offers significant autonomy to define the analytics strategy within the assigned domain.
• Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate a portfolio of past work that showcases their impact through data.
• The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape best practices for data science within the Canva ecosystem team.
• This role requires a balance of strategic thinking and hands-on analysis to drive sustainable growth.
• You will contribute to the development of internal standards for data quality and governance.
• The position supports Canva's mission to empower everyone to design anything by providing the insights needed to unlock new creative possibilities.