Brand Strategist, Italy (6-Month Contract)

Location: Team Marketing

Team: Country Milan / Italy

About the Role

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design. Hey, g'day from Canva! We're looking for a Brand Strategist to shape Canva's presence in Italy through our first-ever brand campaign—a bold shift from performance marketing to building lasting fame and affinity. Based in Milan on a 6-month full-time hybrid contract, you'll work closely with our campaigns team, Regional Creative Director, local agencies, and global partners to launch innovative, culturally resonant campaigns that connect with Italian audiences while staying true to Canva's vibrant, design-first identity. In this role, you'll be the local voice driving campaign success: leveraging category entry points data for creative focus, partnering with agencies for insight-rooted storytelling, and optimizing through research and testing. You'll collaborate across Integrated Marketing, internal creatives, and our global media agency to deliver 360-degree executions that blend hyperlocal insights with Canva's global strategies. Our International Marketing Group thrives on diversity and distribution, creating meaningful user connections through brand, events, partnerships, and more—all in pursuit of making Canva the world's most loved brand. Canva's collaborative culture celebrates bold ideas, design innovation, and inclusive backgrounds. Even if your experience doesn't match perfectly, we want to hear from you. This is your chance to bring Canva to life in Italy, fostering creativity and growth in one of Europe's most dynamic markets. Check out lifeatcanva.com to see what it's like to create with us.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the launch of Canva's first-ever Italian brand campaign, shifting from performance to brand marketing
• Serve as the on-the-ground voice ensuring campaigns resonate with Italian audiences
• Drive fame through innovative storytelling that wins local hearts and minds
• Analyze category entry points data to identify key focus areas for creative development
• Partner closely with local creative agencies to root campaigns in Italian insights while aligning with global Canva brand
• Collaborate with Integrated Marketing, internal Creative team, and global media agency for 360-degree campaign delivery
• Optimize campaigns using research, testing, and performance insights throughout the lifecycle
• Contribute hyperlocal insights to blend with global strategies for maximum impact
• Monitor campaign performance and recommend adjustments to enhance brand affinity
• Foster collaboration across distributed teams to maintain Canva's design-focused culture

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in brand strategy, marketing, or advertising in the Italian market
• Proven track record launching successful brand campaigns that drive awareness and affinity
• Deep understanding of Italian consumer behavior, cultural nuances, and market dynamics
• Experience collaborating with creative agencies and internal creative teams on localized campaigns
• Strong analytical skills with experience leveraging category entry points and market research data
• Fluency in Italian and English (written and spoken)
• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with global brands adapting strategies to local markets
• Background in shifting from performance marketing to brand-building approaches
• Familiarity with digital media planning and 360-degree campaign execution
• Knowledge of Canva's product ecosystem and design-first culture
• Previous work in tech, SaaS, or creative industry brands

Required Skills

• Brand strategy development
• Italian market expertise
• Cultural insight analysis
• Creative agency collaboration
• Campaign optimization and testing
• Data-driven decision making
• Storytelling and narrative crafting
• 360-degree campaign management
• Cross-functional team collaboration
• Performance marketing transition knowledge
• Consumer research interpretation
• Global-local brand alignment
• Analytical thinking
• Innovative problem-solving
• Design thinking principles
• Stakeholder communication
• Project management

Benefits

• Join a world-class Marketing team redefining design accessibility globally
• Collaborate with diverse, distributed international marketers driving Canva's growth
• Hybrid work model in vibrant Milan, blending local collaboration with flexibility
• Full-time 6-month contract with Canva's innovative, design-first culture
• Exposure to cutting-edge brand strategies and global campaign execution
• Opportunity to shape Canva's presence in Italy's creative market
• Virtual contractor accreditation process with inclusive hiring practices
• Access to Canva's creative tools and resources for professional growth

Canva is an equal opportunity employer.