Creative Lead, Lifecycle

Location: Team Design

Team: Country Sydney / Australia

About the Role

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design at Canva, the world's leading visual communication platform empowering millions to create anything and publish anywhere. We're seeking a Creative Lead, Lifecycle to shape how Canva connects with users across their entire journey—from onboarding and feature education to re-engagement and loyalty. Reporting to the Executive Creative Director within our innovative Design team in Sydney, Australia, you'll lead bold, personalised campaigns across high-volume email, in-app messaging, and other touchpoints that inspire action, spark connection, and drive meaningful engagement. In our collaborative, hybrid environment, you'll partner with marketing, product, data, and engineering teams to blend magical creative thinking with performance precision. In this leadership role, you'll own creative strategy and execution for lifecycle campaigns, translating business goals into compelling briefs and standout work that elevates the Canva brand. You'll mentor a multidisciplinary team of designers and copywriters, fostering an inclusive culture where bold ideas thrive and everyone does the best work of their lives. From conceptualising fresh approaches to scaling production while optimising with data insights, you'll ensure every interaction tells a story that resonates globally. Our Design team is passionate about making Canva the most locally loved brand worldwide, working from concept to creation on world-class campaigns. Canva's culture celebrates diversity, curiosity, and innovation in a fast-paced, supportive environment. With 10+ years of creative leadership experience, proven success in lifecycle/CRM marketing, and a portfolio showcasing brand-performance balance, you'll thrive here. Even if you don't match every qualification, we want to hear from you—our hiring focuses on your passion, skills, and how you'll enhance our mission to empower the world to design.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the creative development of Canva’s lifecycle campaigns from idea to execution
• Deliver bold, personalised campaigns across email, in-app messaging, and other touchpoints
• Balance creative innovation with data-driven precision to engage new and returning users
• Translate lifecycle marketing goals into clear briefs and standout creative concepts
• Elevate the Canva brand across lifecycle channels while maintaining consistency
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a cross-functional team of designers and copywriters
• Foster a safe, inclusive, and high-performing team culture
• Collaborate with marketing, product, data, and engineering partners
• Use narrative, design, and messaging to drive instant engagement and performance
• Partner with data teams to test, learn, and continuously optimise campaign results
• Stay ahead of trends and innovations in lifecycle and CRM channels

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years in creative leadership roles, with strong experience in lifecycle or CRM marketing
• Proven success creating effective, high-volume campaigns that balance brand and performance
• Experience managing and mentoring multidisciplinary creative teams
• Deep understanding of customer journeys, audience segmentation, and personalisation
• Strong portfolio demonstrating excellence in lifecycle storytelling and creative craft
• Experience working across channels including email, in-app messaging, and push notifications
• Conceptual thinker with proven ability to execute consistently at scale

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in SaaS, tech, or growth-focused digital brands
• Familiarity with global markets and tailoring creative by region
• Award-winning lifecycle work or creative recognised for performance impact

Required Skills

• Creative leadership and vision development
• Lifecycle/CRM campaign strategy
• High-volume creative production at scale
• Team management and mentoring
• Customer journey mapping
• Audience segmentation and personalisation
• Email, in-app, and push notification design
• Brand storytelling and visual craft
• Data-driven creative optimisation
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Conceptual thinking and ideation
• Portfolio of performance-driven creative work
• Trend awareness in digital marketing channels
• Empathetic leadership and culture building
• Stakeholder communication and briefing

Benefits

• Flexible hybrid work options across Sydney, Melbourne, or other Canva hubs
• Unlimited vacation policy to recharge and do your best work
• Canva for Teams subscription plus professional development budget
• Generous parental leave and family-friendly policies
• Weekly snacks, drinks, and team events at our vibrant Sydney campus
• Health and wellness programs including gym partnerships
• Stock options and performance bonuses
• Inclusive culture with employee resource groups and diversity initiatives

Canva is an equal opportunity employer.