Canva
Computer Software
RegionalHRLead
Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for mid candidates.
“Regional HR Lead at Canva. Skills: HR Business Partnering, Regional HR Leadership, Employment Compliance, People Risk Management, Employee Relations, Cross-cultural Communication, Global Strategy Adaptation, Team Leadership. Adapt and operationalise global People initiatives for the region, ensuring they're effective, locally relevant, and compliant.. Pressure-test whether global approaches will land well in SEA, flag gaps early, and shape how changes are communicated and implemented on the grou”
What You'll Achieve.
Achieving our crazy big goals; Improve engagement, retention, and employee experience.
Industry & Context.
Judgement in navigating ambiguity and complex, sensitive people decisions
Lead the response to critical regional events such as natural disasters, safety incidents, or major regulatory shifts.
What They're Looking For.
Must Have
Proven experience as a senior HR Business Partner in a complex, global environment, Deep knowledge of the Philippines employment landscape including regulatory requirements, cultural nuance, and local market dynamics, Track record of leading and developing People teams, including across dotted-line and matrixed relationships, Judgement in navigating ambiguity and complex, sensitive people decisions, Ability to influence without authority and build trust with senior leaders, Comfortable operating with significant autonomy while knowing when to bring others in, A pragmatic, thoughtful approach with a genuine bias for action
Nice to Have
Deep knowledge of South East Asia employment landscape including regulatory requirements, cultural nuance, and local market dynamics, Experience with total rewards benchmarking, Experience with country expansion, Experience with the rollout of people initiatives and programs, Experience with complex employee relations matters, Experience leading the response to critical regional events such as natural disasters, safety incidents, or major regulatory shifts, Experience consulting on local benefit gaps that impact talent attraction and retention, Experience monitoring engagement and organisational health across the region, Experience using people data and insights to improve engagement, retention, and employee experience, Experience supporting regional connection, events, and leadership presence
What You'll Do.
Adapt and operationalise global People initiatives for the region
ensuring they're effective
Pressure-test whether global approaches will land well in SEA
and shape how changes are communicated and implemented on the ground.
and opportunities back to HQ so our global strategy stays grounded in local reality.
Provide targeted People Partnering support to a defined client group within the region.
Support local org design and reorgs
total rewards benchmarking
and the rollout of people initiatives and programs.
trusted partner for sensitive people matters and complex regional challenges.
Own regional employment compliance and people risk in partnership with Location Partners and Employment Legal.
Be the regional subject matter expert on local legislation
and cultural nuance across SEA's diverse markets.
Act as the escalation point for complex employee relations matters and lead the response to critical regional events such as natural disasters
or major regulatory shifts.
Deeply understand the benefit offering across each country consulting on local benefit gaps that impact talent attraction and retention where COEs may not have full visibility.
Help scale Canva’s culture in a way that feels locally authentic and inclusive.
Monitor engagement and organisational health across the region
using people data and insights to improve engagement
and employee experience.
Support regional connection
and leadership presence.
Lead and develop a team of four across People Partnering
and Location Partners.
Set regional priorities
ensure clear ownership across the People ecosystem
and coach your team to thrive in a matrixed
Provide leadership and connection for the local People team
drive alignment and connection across different People functions to ensure cohesive delivery.
How You'll Work.
Team & Collaboration
Build connections back to our global People function.; Lead a small, high-impact team of four across People Partnering, People Relations, and Location Partners.; Hold a client group of your own, keeping you grounded in the day-to-day reality of the business.; Partner with Location Partners and Employment Legal.; Lead and develop a team of four across People Partnering, People Relations, and Location Partners.; Coach your team to thrive in a matrixed, global environment.; Provide leadership and connection for the local People team, drive alignment and connection across different People functions to ensure cohesive delivery.
Communication Scope
Shape how changes are communicated and implemented on the ground.
Full Job Description
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 This role is based at our Manila campus and follows a hybrid way of working. You have choice in where and how you work. We trust our Canvanauts to choose the balance that empowers them and their team to achieve their goals. The Opportunity At Canva, we’re building the world’s most empowering design platform and that starts with our people. We’re looking for a Regional People Lead to own the people agenda across South East Asia. This role is for someone who thrives at the intersection of global strategy and local reality; someone who can translate, adapt, and embed people initiatives in a way that works for our teams on the ground, while building strong connections back to our global People function. South East Asia is Canva’s largest region outside of ANZ, with ~900 Canvanauts across the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, representing ~20% of our global team. Each market brings its own regulatory environment, cultural nuance, and organisational dynamics. You'll bring deep knowledge of all of that to make Canva a better place to work across the region. You'll lead a small, high-impact team of four across People Partnering, People Relations, and Location Partners and hold a client group of your own, keeping you grounded in the day-to-day reality of the business. What You'll Do Bridge Global and Local Adapt and operationalise global People initiatives for the region, ensuring they're effective, locally relevant, and compliant. * Pressure-test whether global approaches will land well in SEA, flag gaps early, and shape how changes are communicated and implemented on the ground. * Feed regional trends, risks, and opportunities back to HQ so our global strategy stays
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