About Canonical

Canonical is the company behind Ubuntu, the world's leading open source operating system powering enterprise innovation in public cloud, data science, AI, engineering, and IoT. As a pioneer in global distributed collaboration, Canonical employs over 1200 colleagues across 75+ countries with very few office-based roles. Teams align on strategy through in-person meetings two to four times a year in exciting global locations. Founder-led and profitable, Canonical is growing rapidly while advancing open source software for the world's top public cloud providers, silicon manufacturers, and industry leaders.

Role Overview

The Head of Talent Development will build and lead a new function at Canonical, focusing on future-proofing the workplace in a remote-first, globally distributed open source company. This role drives research, training, policymaking, and selection for effective remote leadership and collaboration. With nearly 20 years of remote-first experience, Canonical seeks to elevate its practices through analytics, tooling, and consistent leadership behaviors across its diverse, international workforce.

As one of the final lead roles in the cross-disciplinary People function—comprising organizational psychologists, engineers, analytics experts, talent scientists, and employee relations specialists—you will ensure leaders embody Canonical's culture, norms, and evolving expectations in a fearlessly global hiring environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and implement an inspiring, comprehensive talent development program tailored to remote operations.
• Develop, drive, and embed management and leadership development programs for a global remote organization.
• Design and deliver core training programs, partnering with specialist vendors as needed.
• Create and implement leadership performance indicators and metrics to measure impact.
• Own the leadership skills matrix for performance management, talent assessment, succession planning, mentorship, virtual learning, and career development.
• Set up a global learning framework supporting training and career fulfillment.
• Build and manage a new team of Talent Development specialists.
• Apply a data-focused lens to analyze trends and define career development frameworks.
• Own and enhance the impact of the learning budget for maximum ROI.

Qualifications & Requirements

Canonical seeks an exceptional leader with:

• An outstanding academic track record from high school onward.
• Deep insight into success factors for managers in globally remote tech companies.
• Demonstrated experience creating high-performing teams through key conditions and practices.
• Proven ability to create, lead, and execute strategy while driving company-wide change.
• Strong business acumen to balance strategy and execution.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills for data-driven decisions, especially measuring development program impacts.
• Experience in people management and budget accountability.
• Willingness to travel up to four times yearly for internal events.

This home-based role is remote in the EMEA region, ideal for those thriving in distributed, innovative environments.

Benefits & Perks

Canonical offers a premium remote-first experience:

• Fully remote work from anywhere in EMEA, supporting work-life balance.
• Collaboration with a diverse, high-caliber global team.
• Opportunities to travel to inspiring locations for team alignment events.
• Competitive compensation in a profitable, growing company.
• Access to cutting-edge open source projects like Ubuntu, driving real-world impact.
• Comprehensive professional development within a forward-thinking People function.

Career Growth

Step into a foundational leadership role shaping Canonical's future. Build your team, influence company-wide practices, and pioneer remote work excellence. With Ubuntu at the heart of enterprise tech, your work will scale globally, offering succession paths in talent, people operations, or executive leadership. Leverage data analytics, research, and partnerships to drive measurable success and personal advancement in open source innovation.

Why Join Canonical

Canonical stands at the forefront of open source, with Ubuntu enabling breakthroughs in cloud, AI, and IoT for the world's biggest tech players. Our remote-first culture, honed over nearly two decades, sets the standard for distributed excellence. Join a founder-led, profitable growth story where your expertise in talent development will define leadership in a 1200+ colleague, 75+ country powerhouse. Contribute to a workplace that redefines global collaboration.

Role FAQs

Is this role fully remote?

Yes, it's home-based in the EMEA region with occasional travel for events.

What is the team structure?

You'll build a new Talent Development team within the innovative People function.

How does Canonical support remote work?

With 20 years of experience, we invest in research, training, and tools for top-tier remote collaboration.

What salary can I expect?

Estimated at €140,000 - €180,000 yearly, based on EMEA tech sector rates for senior roles.

Who are Canonical's customers?

Leading public cloud providers, silicon companies, and innovators across sectors using Ubuntu.