Creative Lead​/Design Director

Job Description

The Creative Lead, Content Germany will join the International Content Team, whose mission is to build the most valuable content library in the world. The team sits within the International Supergroup and collaborates closely with Content & Discovery and Marketing to unlock content-driven growth through high-quality, market-relevant templates and elements such as graphics, photos, and videos.

The team is focused on delivering content that is Truly Local — ensuring everything published meets Canva’s standards of design craft, cultural resonance, and user value.

This role will lead the charge in shaping the creative direction for content that reflects the cultural nuances and preferences of Germany. It will be instrumental in driving user engagement and revenue growth through content, collaborating closely with the Country Lead and local stakeholders across Growth, Marketing, SEO, and Community.

This role will also direct a team of local creatives to curate and elevate impactful, truly local content across both elements — such as graphics, photos, and videos — and templates spanning social media, presentations, websites, and print products. By fostering a culture of excellence and innovation, this role will play a vital part in achieving Canva’s mission of delivering a world-class, truly local design experience.

Creative Direction & Strategy

• Develop a compelling creative vision that aligns with regional and local context and Canva's broader goals, collaborating closely with the Region Lead for Germany and local Marketing, SEO, and Community teams.

• Translate country and regional strategies into actionable content plans and locally relevant campaigns, tailored to audience preferences.

• Drive experimentation and content innovation, supporting new product formats and emerging trends to keep creative outputs fresh and competitive.

• Making informed decisions on content creation funnels based on country content strategies

Content Creation & Curation

• Oversee the creation of content, including design kits, campaign documents, creator briefs, and in-house production where needed. Work with Content Specialists and/or Copywriters to ensure copy is culturally relevant and adheres to our copy best practice standards.

• Curate and editorially frame content for marketing initiatives, showcases, and seasonal calendars to elevate local relevance.

• Proactively identify content gaps and curate assets that reflect strategic priorities and creative excellence.

• Lead quality control of all content outputs, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines and maintaining high standards of visual and messaging quality.

Market Understanding & Cultural Insights

• Build and maintain a deep knowledge of local culture, consumer behaviour, and design trends to inform content direction and strategy.

• Conduct foundational content research to guide Canva’s expansion into the German market, ensuring creative and editorial output aligns with user needs and cultural nuances.

• Provide cultural expertise to scale content, ensuring authenticity and relevance to Germany across AICG, partnerships, AI tooling, and diversity initiatives.

• Champion hyperlocal design perspectives in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

• Support building an editorial strategy for local content, ensuring Canva’s library reflects cultural relevance, diversity, and inclusive storytelling.

• Advocate for the integration of global and underrepresented perspectives in content development and curation, upholding Canva’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Content Performance Monitoring & Analysis

• Conduct template and element audits to identify improvement areas and opportunities for new content.

• Perform content performance and gap analysis, distilling insights into recommendations that guide future content creation and acquisition.

• Leverage data, trends, and local insights to shape creative direction, enhance creator and in-house briefs, and inform design decisions.

• Facilitate retrospectives and performance reviews to refine strategies and content effectiveness.

• Actively raise discoverability challenges or product limitations that impact content…