Director, Global Sales Compensation

Location: Team Finance

Team: Country Los Angeles / United States

About the Role

Join Canva's Finance team as Director, Global Sales Compensation in our Los Angeles hub, where you'll redefine how creative professionals are motivated through innovative compensation design. At Canva, we're not just building design tools—we're empowering millions to create visual stories that inspire. As we scale globally, your role will be pivotal in crafting sales compensation frameworks that fuel our growth while aligning with our collaborative, design-first culture. Reporting into Revenue Accounting, you'll partner with Sales, Finance, and RevOps to deliver simple, motivating plans that drive the right behaviors and outcomes in our high-growth SaaS environment. You'll own the complete lifecycle of global sales commissions—from strategic plan design and modeling to hands-on execution of calculations, payouts, and dispute resolution. Expect to dive deep into analytics using tools like CaptivateIQ while collaborating with creative sales leaders to ensure plans reflect Canva's innovative spirit. This hybrid role demands a strategic operator who thrives in ambiguity, automates complex processes, and builds trust through unwavering accuracy and transparency. With SOX compliance and IPO readiness on the horizon, you'll maintain rigorous governance while simplifying experiences for our global sales teams. Canva's culture celebrates diverse thinkers who blend creativity with discipline. If you love transforming data into motivating incentives and have scaled compensation in fast-paced tech environments, this is your chance to shape how we reward the teams bringing Canva's magic to the world. Note: This role requires US residency with hybrid work in Los Angeles—no relocation support available.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, document, and administer scalable global sales compensation frameworks aligned with Canva's strategic growth objectives
• Own end-to-end commission processes including calculations, validation, accurate payouts, reporting, and dispute management
• Partner with Sales, Finance, and RevOps leadership to model compensation scenarios and forecast costs
• Develop and maintain strong governance over compensation plans ensuring SOX compliance and audit readiness
• Provide actionable insights to Sales leadership on plan performance and recommend data-driven improvements
• Identify and implement process simplifications and automation opportunities using compensation technology
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure compensation plans motivate creative outcomes and support Canva's design-first culture
• Build trusted relationships with global sales teams through transparent communication and reliable execution
• Monitor plan effectiveness and iterate based on business performance and market best practices
• Support quote-to-cash optimization by aligning compensation with revenue recognition and customer success metrics
• Lead global rollout of compensation changes with clear documentation and training for sales teams

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in sales compensation, incentive design, or sales operations in high-growth SaaS or enterprise environments
• Proven track record of designing and scaling commission frameworks that drive sales performance while maintaining financial discipline
• Strong analytical skills with expertise in compensation modeling and forecasting
• Experience owning end-to-end commission processes including calculations, validation, reporting, and dispute resolution
• Proficiency in sales compensation tools such as CaptivateIQ, Spiff, Xactly, or similar platforms
• Demonstrated ability to partner cross-functionally with Sales, Finance, and Revenue Operations leadership
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or related field
• US-based with ability to work hybrid in Los Angeles (no relocation support)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SOX compliance, audit processes, or IPO readiness in a Finance/Revenue Accounting setting
• Advanced Excel/Google Sheets expertise with VBA or scripting for automation
• Background in design/tech/SaaS companies with global sales organizations
• Familiarity with quote-to-cash processes and revenue recognition standards
• MBA or advanced degree in Finance/Compensation
• Experience managing compensation for enterprise sales teams

Required Skills

• Sales compensation design and administration
• Advanced Excel/Google Sheets modeling and analytics
• Sales compensation software (CaptivateIQ, Spiff, Xactly)
• Financial forecasting and scenario modeling
• Cross-functional stakeholder management
• Process automation and optimization
• SOX compliance and audit readiness
• Complex problem-solving in high-growth environments
• Clear verbal and written communication
• Data-driven decision making
• Global team collaboration
• Strategic thinking with hands-on execution
• Customer-centric mindset
• Adaptability in fast-paced settings
• Attention to detail for accurate payouts

Benefits

• Competitive salary range $228,000-$317,000 based on experience and market data
• Equity packages to share in Canva's growth and success
• Comprehensive health benefits plans supporting physical and mental wellbeing
• 401(k) retirement plan with generous company contribution
• Inclusive parental leave policy for all parents and carers
• Annual Vibe & Thrive allowance for wellbeing, social connection, and office setup
• Flexible leave options empowering personal recharge and work-life harmony
• Hybrid work model in vibrant Los Angeles with collaborative team culture
• Access to Canva's design tools, learning resources, and global innovation community

Canva is an equal opportunity employer.