About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering technology company at the forefront of the global shift to open source software. As the publisher of Ubuntu, one of the most influential open-source projects worldwide, Canonical powers critical enterprise initiatives in public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. Our customers include leading public cloud providers, silicon manufacturers, and industry giants across sectors. With over 1200 colleagues in more than 75 countries, Canonical embodies a remote-first culture, pioneering global distributed collaboration. Teams connect through two to four in-person sprints annually in exciting global locations to align on strategy and execution. Founder-led and profitable, Canonical continues to grow, setting high standards for excellence in open source innovation.

Role Overview

The OpenStack Engineering Manager role on the BootStack team at Canonical offers a unique opportunity for technologists passionate about Linux and cloud technologies. BootStack designs, builds, and operates modern distributed systems on private infrastructure, spanning Kubernetes, OpenStack, and beyond. In this globally remote position, you will lead engineers responsible for day-to-day managed services of customer environments. This includes customer service management, operations, and continuous product improvements. Collaboration with customers, product engineering, and operations teams is essential. If you thrive in fast-paced environments with cutting-edge technology and open source development, this role at Canonical will let you build a rewarding career driving Ubuntu's success in enterprise cloud solutions.

Key Responsibilities

As OpenStack Engineering Manager, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the BootStack team's high performance and delivery. Key responsibilities include:

• Managing a growing engineering team to optimize the quality and velocity of development and operations.
• Identifying and measuring key team health indicators to drive continuous improvement.
• Implementing disciplined engineering and operations processes for reliability and efficiency.
• Representing the BootStack team to stakeholders, customers, and external partners.
• Ensuring team focus on priorities, milestones, and deliverables.
• Working to meet service level agreements for customer deployments worldwide.
• Delivering consistent, high-quality managed services in a timely manner.

Travel is required roughly 20% or less for team events, company sprints, and customer meetings.

Qualifications & Requirements

Canonical seeks exceptional talent with a strong technical foundation and leadership experience. Ideal candidates will demonstrate:

• A Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a technology field.
• Proven professional experience in software delivery using Python, Go, C, C++, Java, or similar, and/or managing operations teams.
• Hands-on experience with OpenStack.
• Strong commitment to testing methodologies and maintainable code quality.
• Experience with Linux system administration, with Ubuntu or Debian as a plus.
• Excellent communication and cooperation skills.
• Proficiency in agile software development methodologies.
• Experience working in and managing distributed, global teams.
• Technical aptitude for complex distributed systems.
• Familiarity with cloud topologies and technologies.

Canonical values open source affinity, passion for technology, and the drive to work with top industry talent.

Benefits & Perks

Canonical offers competitive, performance-based compensation tailored to location, experience, and contributions, with annual reviews and bonuses. Beyond base pay, enjoy:

• Fully distributed work environment with biannual in-person team sprints in global locations.
• USD 2,000 personal learning and development budget annually.
• Performance-driven annual bonus or commission.
• Recognition rewards for outstanding contributions.
• Generous annual holiday leave, maternity, and paternity leave.
• Team Member Assistance Program and Wellness Platform.
• Travel opportunities with Priority Pass and upgrades for long-haul company events.

These benefits reflect Canonical's commitment to fairness, work-life balance, and employee well-being across its global workforce.

Career Growth

At Canonical, career progression is driven by performance and impact. As an Engineering Manager, you will lead high-impact projects shaping enterprise open source cloud solutions. Access mentorship from industry leaders, leverage the learning budget for certifications in OpenStack, Kubernetes, or cloud technologies, and contribute to Ubuntu's ecosystem. With rapid company growth, opportunities abound for advancement into senior leadership, product management, or specialized technical roles. Canonical's remote-first model supports lifelong learning and global mobility.

Why Join Canonical

Joining Canonical means being part of a mission to accelerate the world's move to open source. Work on Ubuntu, the platform powering AI, IoT, and cloud at scale. Thrive in a remote-first culture that values autonomy, collaboration, and excellence. Collaborate with brilliant minds across 75+ countries, attend inspiring sprints, and influence technologies used by Fortune 500 companies. Canonical's profitability and founder-led vision ensure stability and bold innovation. If you are passionate about Linux, OpenStack, and distributed systems, this is your chance to lead and grow with a world-class team.

Role FAQs

Q: Is this role fully remote? Yes, it's a globally remote position with occasional travel (20% or less).

Q: What experience level is required? Proven track record in OpenStack, software delivery or ops management, and distributed teams.

Q: How does Canonical handle compensation? Based on location, experience, and performance; includes base pay, bonuses, and annual reviews.

Q: What makes BootStack unique? It delivers managed OpenStack and Kubernetes on private infrastructure for enterprise customers.

Q: How often do teams meet in person? Two to four times yearly for strategy and execution alignment.