Head of Design Research

The Head of Design Research at Canva will lead and expand the Design Research team, fostering a culture of psychological safety and establishing consistent standards of excellence across both evaluative and generative research methods. This role is pivotal in shaping Canva's product vision and company goals, particularly in the evolving landscape of AI-driven design solutions.

Key responsibilities include crafting and executing a comprehensive design research strategy that informs long-term opportunities in the AI era. The role involves driving initiatives to identify and resolve user issues across Canva's product surfaces, ensuring a high-quality user experience. Additionally, the Head of Design Research will empower product teams to conduct their own research through training, templates, and shared frameworks, while maintaining rigorous quality standards.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned leader with deep expertise in generative, evaluative, and mixed-methods research. They should be motivated by the opportunity to shape product strategy, elevate research practices, and integrate emerging AI capabilities into meaningful applications. Strong stakeholder management and communication skills are essential, as the role requires close collaboration with senior leaders and individual contributors across Product, Design, Engineering, and Data teams.

Canva offers a range of benefits to support employees' success both professionally and personally. These include equity packages, an inclusive parental leave policy, an annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support wellbeing and social connection, and flexible leave options to encourage work-life balance.