Policy and Impact Communications Manager

Company Description

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.

Hello, 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 office is in Sydney, Australia, but we've made our way from down under, to a campus in Austin, Texas which is now home to our US operations.

What you’d be doing in this role

We’re looking for a Policy & Impact Communications Manager to join the team at Canva. In this role, you’ll find creative ways to communicate our social impact, amplify the work of the Canva Foundation, and strengthen our presence among key stakeholders, from philanthropic, government, academic, and community groups. You’ll help shape narratives around Canva’s contribution to social good and our philanthropic work.

The Canva Foundation exists to create a more equitable world, and we believe creative and impactful communications play a powerful role in advancing that mission. From storytelling and community events to policy campaigns and public engagement, this role will help bring our philanthropic efforts to life in meaningful, strategic, and creative ways.

Based in Sydney and reporting into the Head of Corporate and Internal Communications, this role operates across internal and external audiences within the Founder & Internal Comms team. You’ll collaborate with Public Policy, Canva Foundation, Global Communications and Canva Leadership to shape the systems and narratives that define our impact.

What You’ll Do

• Craft compelling communications across multiple formats, including internal updates, policy submissions, academic papers, media releases, blog posts, briefing documents, opinion pieces, talk tracks, social content, speeches, and videos.
• Build and manage strategic campaigns that turn big and often ambiguous ideas into programs and narratives that inspire action, build momentum, and drive real-world impact with diverse audiences. A marketing and community mindset is a big plus – this role is strategy, storytelling, and startup energy all rolled into one.
• Lead internal and external communications for the Canva Foundation, including annual reporting, event communications, proactive media engagement, community engagement, and thought leadership.
• Support Canva’s presence at key global moments and forums, including organizing community and philanthropic engagement at events like Davos, TED, and UNGA, and supporting our spokespeople with messaging, speeches, and toolkits.
• Collaborate with teams across Canva to distill technical, academic, or complex material into clear, compelling content that connects with everyone from governments and think tanks to internal teams, community partners, and the general public.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with philanthropic media, community stakeholders, and academic audiences.
• Partner closely with our internal comms, external comms, and public policy teams to ensure our philanthropic storytelling is aligned, thoughtful, and impactful.

You’ll Love This Role If You…

• Are an exceptional communicator both written, and importantly, visually. You know how to tailor your tone for different audiences and channels, from blog posts to academic papers, social media, keynote speeches, and internal Slack threads. You can quickly pick up a new tone of voice and can confidently work with creative teams to bring different ideas and formats to life.
• Thrive in ambiguity and love turning abstract ideas into concrete and momentous campaigns. You’re a systems thinker who can see both the big picture and the small details. Importantly, you’re comfortable operating at both levels, and you’re always seeing around corners.
• Have experience in strategic communications, social impact, speechwriting, or media advisory roles; experience working around government or policy is a plus.
• Have a deep interest in social impact, policy, and community engagement, and want to help build the bridge between philanthropy and action. You’re comfortable challenging the status quo with new ideas, and building consensus as you go.
• Bring curiosity, creativity, and clarity to everything you do – from planning an event to writing a tweet to editing a keynote deck.

Your Experience...

• 5+ years in strategic communications, social impact, speechwriting or media advisory roles; experience working around public policy or federal government roles is a plus.
• Strong research and synthesis skills – you're confident navigating academic papers, policy reports, and complex source material to distill insights and shape strategic narratives.
• Proven ability to write for diverse audiences and platforms, balancing intellectual credibility with warmth and accessibility.
• Experience building and leading campaigns or programs in philanthropy, social impact, or research communication with a strong grasp of public affairs, and systems change.
• Strong relationships in the philanthropic, government, or policy media space a plus.
• A proactive, mission-driven mindset and a collaborative spirit , you're excited to build from scratch and help shape something meaningful.

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.