Staff Data Scientist - International (cjki)

Canva Canva · Enterprise · Sydney, Australia · Information Technology

Staff Data Scientist - International (CJKI) at Canva, focusing on defining data strategy, influencing regional leadership, and identifying growth levers for China, Japan, South Korea, and India. The role involves setting measurement and experimentation standards, building data foundations, and mentoring other data scientists. Requires strong SQL, Python, and analytics stack proficiency, with a preference for AI tool usage.

What you'd actually do

  1. Define the CJKI and International Data Vision & Strategy: Own and shape the end-to-end data strategy for China, Japan, South Korea, and India. Establish how we measure success across highly diverse and complex markets - defining scalable frameworks, region-specific KPIs, and long-term growth metrics that balance global consistency with local nuance.
  2. Act as a Strategic Thought Partner to Regional Leadership: Serve as the senior analytics partner to CJKI country leaders and regional marketing leads. Influence investment decisions, market expansion priorities, and localisation strategy through forward-looking, insight-driven recommendations - not just reporting performance, but shaping direction.
  3. Translate Regional Complexity into Global Influence: Ensure the voice of CJKI users is embedded in Canva’s global product and growth strategy. Synthesise behavioural trends, monetisation dynamics, ecosystem constraints, and experimentation learnings into clear inputs that influence roadmap decisions.
  4. Identify Structural Growth Levers: Go beyond surface metrics to uncover structural drivers of growth and friction - including lifecycle drop-offs, pricing sensitivity, ecosystem dynamics, regulatory constraints, and localisation gaps unique to CJKI markets.
  5. Set the Regional Measurement & Experimentation Bar: Define best-in-class experimentation and measurement standards across the not only the region but at Canva. Guide the design, interpretation, and rollout of experiments, pilots, and feature launches across multiple markets - ensuring speed, rigour, and long-term learning.

Skills

Required

  • 8+ years in data, growth, or product analytics
  • Demonstrated ownership of a major region, business line, or strategic domain
  • Operated as a trusted advisor to c-level stakeholders
  • Fluent in English and speak Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, or Korean
  • Deep expertise in SQL and Python
  • Highly proficient in modern analytics stacks (e.g., Snowflake, Mode, NetSpring, Omni)
  • Proficient in experimentation platforms (e.g., Pilot or similar)

Nice to have

  • Experience working in one or more CJKI markets.
  • Understanding of platform ecosystems, localisation strategy, and regulatory considerations in China, Japan, South Korea, or India.
  • Experience supporting international product expansion or market entry.
  • Passion for Canva’s mission and curiosity about how technology adoption varies across cultures.

What the JD emphasized

  • Define long-term measurement philosophies and success frameworks, not just dashboards.
  • design and critique complex experimentation programs (multi-market rollouts, counter-metrics, guardrails, power trade-offs) and translate results into clear strategic action.
  • proactively identify ambiguous, undefined problems and create clarity, alignment, and forward motion.
  • balance global scalability with local nuance - knowing when to standardise and when to localise.
  • communicate complex ideas with clarity and conviction to diverse audiences, from country managers to global product leaders.