Executive Assistant to Founder

Canva; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity packages

Parental leave policy

Vibe & Thrive allowance

Flexible leave options

AI/ML learning programs

Job summary

Canva is seeking an Executive Assistant to support the Founder in a fast-paced, global environment from our Sydney base. This pivotal role will manage calendars, coordinate high-priority meetings, and liaise with internal and external stakeholders to keep the Founder operating at peak efficiency.

You will build strong relationships, anticipate needs, and drive effective meeting prep and travel logistics. A proactive, discreet, and proactive problem-solver will thrive here.

Qualifications

• Strong Executive Assistant experience, ideally supporting C-suite leaders in fast-paced global environments.
• Able to manage high volumes of requests with discretion and speed.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building across internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Master day-to-day time management by triaging meeting requests and optimizing the calendar for strategic priorities.
• Act as the bridge between stakeholders, ensuring seamless communication and visibility across the team and business.
• Prepare for meetings by coordinating materials, research, and creating visual communication for critical information.
• Plan travel by coordinating logistics and itineraries for smooth travel experiences.
• Handle a range of admin tasks from expenses to documentation, ensuring the team runs smoothly.
• Foster team energy by coordinating events, kick-offs, and meaningful gifts to keep everyone engaged.

Skills

Executive Support

Calendar Management

Stakeholder Liaison

Travel Coordination

AI Tools & Automation

Job description

Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.

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 Sydney campus is uniquely Canva - an extension of our Surry Hills neighbourhood. It’s a thoughtfully designed space with plenty of room to collaborate, focus, and connect. This role is based in Sydney, and we’re looking for someone who calls it home. Our hybrid way of working gives you the flexibility to work remotely, and to come together on campus for meaningful in-person collaboration and connection when it matters most. We trust our Canvanauts to choose the balance that empowers them and their team to achieve their goals.

About the role

As an Executive Assistant, you'll need to react quickly to urgent tasks and you will work with speed to liaise with internal and external stakeholders to get things done. This role requires someone who can operate with pace, high degrees of confidentiality and someone who can truly make the complex simple, by knowing who and when to engage with at any one time.

Reporting to the Chief of Staff to the Founder, you’ll be part of a small but mighty Founder’s Ops team, working closely together to enable the Founders to operate at their best.

We're looking for a digital native, highly organised and proactive organisational powerhouse to support the Founder in maximising their time and impact. We’re looking for someone who’s the ultimate problem solver and constantly finding ways to do things better and faster – in particular leveraging AI as much as possible. In this role, you'll manage a high volume of meeting requests, optimise the calendar for strategic priorities, and act as a key connector between stakeholders.

At the moment, this role is focused on:

Master the Day-to-Day: You'll be making sure that the Founder’s time is spent in the most impactful areas by triaging a large volume of meeting requests and helping ensure the calendar is managed effectively, allowing them to focus on key strategic priorities.

Be the Ultimate Connector: You'll build rock-solid relationships with key stakeholders inside and outside the company, becoming the bridge that ensures seamless communication and visibility between the team and the broader business.

Nailing Meeting Prep: You'll prepare for meetings by coordinating and assisting in building any materials and research, designing decks and supporting the creation of visual communication for critical company information.

Plan Epic Travels: You'll plan for travel by managing both logistical travel arrangements as well as trip itineraries to ensure smooth logistics.

Be the Glue: You'll take on a variety of tasks, from managing expenses to fine-tuning documentation and jumping on any ad hoc requests that help keep the team running smoothly.

Bring the Vibes: From organising season kick-offs and celebrations to coordinating off-sites and meaningful gifts, you'll make sure the team is energised, connected, and loving the ride while delivering their best work.

You're probably a match if;

You bring strong Executive Assistant experience, ideally supporting C-suite leaders in fast-paced global environments.

• You thrive in environments where things move quickly and priorities can shift by the minute. You’re comfortable juggling a high volume of requests while staying calm, organised and focused on what matters most.
• You’re a natural problem solver with a strong bias to action. No task is too big or too small, and you’re always ready to roll up your sleeves and find a way forward.
• You build meaningful relationships with ease and bring exceptional emotional intelligence to every interaction, creating trust and strong partnerships across all levels.
• You’re always two steps ahead, anticipating needs, spotting friction and finding ways to make things run more smoothly. You have an eye for the smallest details and understand how thoughtful touches can elevate great executive support into exceptional support.
• You understand that context matters. You take the time to see the bigger picture and bring thoughtful, practical judgement to the solutions and recommendations you make.
• You’re an exceptional communicator who instinctively knows who needs to know what, and when. You keep information flowing, stakeholders aligned and nothing falling through the cracks.

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

In house crafted on-demand library of learning programs such as AI/ML School, Canva Product Skills, Internal Coaching and much more.

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.