Executive Assistant, Chief People Officer

Job Description

This is a 12 month fixed term contract parental leave cover.

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 Sydney campus is uniquely Canva - an extension of our Surry Hills neighbourhood. It’s a thoughtfully designed space with plenty of room to collaborate, focus, and connect.

This role is based in Sydney, and we’re looking for someone who calls it home. Our hybrid way of working gives you the flexibility to work remotely, and to come together on campus for meaningful in-person collaboration and connection when it matters most. We trust our Canvanauts to choose the balance that empowers them and their team to achieve their goals.

About the People Org

Canva's People team exists to help every Canvanaut do the best work of their life. The team spans Talent Acquisition (hiring, internal mobility and our contingent workforce), People Partnering (embedded generalists supporting each part of the business), People Experience (wellbeing, belonging, listening and learning), Rewards & Performance, Vibe (office experience, culture and events), Internal Comms, and the Operations Partnering speciality this role sits within.

It's led by a tightly-knit leadership team who meet weekly with the CPO to align on the biggest decisions facing the Org (who you will also be working closely with).

About the team structure

Our Operations Partnering Speciality is dispersed throughout Canva, supporting our different functions to deliver on their big goals. Within the People Org, this Speciality runs as a triad: a Chief of Staff (called Leadership Operations at Canva), who holds executive-layer context, an Operations Business Partner, who owns the Org's broader cadences, priorities and initiatives, and an Admin Business Partner (that’s you!) who unlocks Lead capacity through exceptional 1:1 executive support. Both the Operations Business Partner and the Admin Business Partner (you) report to the Leadership Operations, who then reports to the CPO.

About the role

As the Admin Business Partner (EA) to our CPO, you'll design and own the operating system that helps her lead effectively. Managing her calendar, inbox, travel, and the judgement calls that come with protecting her time are all part of the key focus: making sure the right things get her attention and focus at the right moment. You'll also own specific components of how the People leadership team runs, from meeting prep through to recurring initiatives, working closely with her Leadership Operations.

This has real scope beyond traditional executive support. You'll be trusted to make calls independently, spot what needs attention before being asked, and help shape how the CPO and her leadership team operate, rather than just keeping things ticking along.

What you'll be doing

Own the CPO's day-to-day operations

• Run a calendar and inbox that's constantly shifting, exercising real judgement on what needs the CPO's attention now, what can wait, and what shouldn't land on their desk at all

• Navigate a dense web of relationships across other senior leaders' support teams, where protocol and discretion matter as much as logistics

• Plan and run the CPO's travel, expenses and personal logistics end to end, so all of it is taken care of in the background

Keep People's leadership rhythm running

• Own the prep behind the People leadership team's meeting cadence, translating what's happening across the Org into what the CPO and their Leads need to walk in ready in partnership with Leadership Operations

• Play a critical role in the operational drumbeat of our People Org, helping to coordinate major moments such as global events, offsites and key launches

• Represent the CPO's voice and preferences in the small moments, from how a message gets drafted to how a scheduling conflict gets resolved

• Build and maintain scalable workflows for recurring processes (e.g. approvals, planning rhythms, tracking mechanisms)

• Continuously identify friction points, diagnose root causes and redesign underlying processes to improve how the org operates

• Coordinate across stakeholders to ensure timelines, milestones and deliverables stay on track

Support the wider team and its culture

• Make recognition part of the rhythm, not an afterthought: running things so achievements, milestones and departures actually get seen

• Plan moments that bring the team together, like Force for Good (charity) days and other get-togethers

• Handle the personal touches that make people feel looked after: organising gifts, writing notes, and marking what matters to them

• Handle sensitive or fast-moving people matters with real discretion, given that almost everything crossing this desk is high-stakes and complex

You're probably a match if you

• Bring substantial experience partnering 1:1 with a senior leader, and can point to specific examples of protecting their time or capacity at real scale.

• Think strategically, not just administratively. You naturally seek context, connect dots and anticipate what's coming next.

• Can confidently draft communications, briefing documents, presentations and first drafts that require minimal editing.

• Build trust quickly across a wide network, from senior leaders down to other Admin business partners and Ops partners, and know when to lean on that network rather than solving everything on your own.

• Are the ultimate problem-solver with a "let's get it done" mindset, rolling up your sleeves to tackle any task, big or small, without hesitation.

• Are a visual storytelling wizard, whipping up stunning, on-brand decks at lightning speed to deliver impactful messages with style.

• Are genuinely comfortable holding a lot of moving pieces at once, and can prioritise under pressure without dropping the details that matter

• Embrace AI to improve the quality and speed of your work, while always applying your own judgement and polish.

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

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.