Senior People Systems Engineer (Integration & Automation)

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.

Hey, g'day, mabuhay, kia ora,你好, hallo, vítejte!

Thanks for stopping by. We know job hunting can be a little time consuming and you're probably keen to find out what's on offer, so we'll get straight to the point.

Where and how you can work

Our flagship campus is in Sydney, Australia, but with many of our Canvanauts calling the Philippines home, our office in Manila is a buzzing place. Whether your role needs you in the office, at home or a bit of both, we've created an environment that truly empowers you to thrive.

What you’d be doing in this role

As Canva scales change continues to be part of our DNA. But we like to think that's all part of the fun. So this will give you the flavour of the type of things you'll be working on when you start, but this will likely evolve.

As a Senior People Systems Engineer focusing on people technology, you’ll have a leading hand in driving automation, integrations, AI enabled solutions, and continuous improvement across our HR and IT ecosystem. You’ll take on complex, multi-system challenges, partnering closely with our business and other engineers to design, implement, and maintain solutions that scale effectively and securely. If you thrive on owning large-scale initiatives from concept to rollout, love to mentor others, and enjoy collaborating with stakeholders across multiple teams, this role is for you.

What you’d be doing in this role

• Design & Implement Integrations: Develop robust, secure integrations using tools iPaaS integration and middleware tools like Workato, to connect various people systems (e.g., ATS, Workday, Payroll, talent management) with wider enterprise platforms across finance and collaboration systems like slack, jira, and others. You’ll ensure data flows are seamless and reliable.
• Automation & Innovation: Scope and deliver automation initiatives that streamline processes for our People team and beyond. You’ll identify, design, and build solutions that reduce manual effort, enhance data accuracy, and support Canva’s rapid growth.
• Technical Leadership: Author design documents that consider dependencies, security, and impacts across multiple teams or business units. Drive the solution’s direction by consulting stakeholders, clarifying requirements, and coordinating the overall delivery effort.
• Software Engineering: Best Practices Uphold engineering standards, code reviews, source control management, automated testing, and secure build processes. You’ll set the bar for quality and reliability, ensuring our systems remain stable and scalable.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder: Engagement Partner with cross-functional teams, such as Security, Data, and Finance, to build end-to-end solutions that meet diverse requirements. Facilitate workshops or design sessions to uncover new opportunities for automation.
• Mentorship & Knowledge: Sharing Guide and support other engineers in developing their technical skills. Provide feedback through design reviews, share best practices for system integrations, and champion a culture of continuous improvement.
• Operational Excellence: Monitor system health and performance, proactively identify and resolve issues, and maintain clear documentation and runbooks. Serve as a point of escalation for high-impact incidents, working with relevant teams to find permanent solutions.

You're probably a match if:

• People & Business Tech Background: You have in-depth experience with HR systems (Workday, ATS, Talent Management, Learning, or others) and their place in a broader enterprise landscape. You’re comfortable integrating these platforms with other business systems
• Integration & Automation Specialist: You’ve built scalable integrations using tools like Workato, MuleSoft, or similar iPaaS solutions. You know when to automate and how to design resilient workflows that streamline operations, and can identify and implement opportunities to deliver AI powered solutions across workflows.
• Full System Development Life Cycle: You’re proficient in coding standards, peer reviews, version control, build processes, and automated testing. Security, reliability, and scalability are top-of-mind in every solution you create.
• System Design & Architecture: You can craft solution designs that take into account dependencies across multiple teams, keep data secure, and minimise risk. You’re experienced in documenting these designs to ensure clarity and stakeholder alignment.
• Technical Leadership & Mentorship: You’re skilled at guiding less-experienced engineers, fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing and best-practice adoption. You collaborate easily with product managers, designers, and other engineers.
• Effective Communicator & Collaborator: You communicate complex technical ideas in a straightforward way for varied audiences. You’re adept at running design sessions, managing stakeholder expectations, and driving decisions that balance technical merits with business needs.
• Outcome-Focused: You love seeing tangible results from your work. By delivering well-engineered, user-friendly solutions, you make life easier for Canvanauts and help Canva scale sustainably.

About the team

This role sites within our People Experience Systems team, part of our broader business platform group within Canva’s IT super group. The IT Supergroup’s vision is to maximise the potential of every Canvanaut through world-class technology and service. Our People Experience Systems team focuses on identifying, delivering, integrating, and supporting exceptional people technology solutions that our Canvanauts use to learn, grow, and deliver the most impact they can every day.

What's in it for you?

Achieving our crazy big goals motivates us to work hard - and we do - but you'll experience lots of moments of magic, connectivity and fun woven throughout life at Canva, too. We also offer a range of benefits to set you up for every success in and outside of work.

Here's a taste of what's on offer:

• Equity packages - we want our success to be yours too
• Inclusive parental leave policy that supports all parents & carers
• An annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support your wellbeing, social connection, office setup & more
• Flexible leave options that empower you to be a force for good, take time to recharge and supports you personally

Check out lifeatcanva.com for more info.

Other stuff to know

We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion, as well as how you can enhance Canva and our culture. When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process.

We celebrate all types of skills and backgrounds at Canva so even if you don’t feel like your skills quite match what’s listed above - we still want to hear from you!

Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.