Senior Engineering Manager - Video Templates (Bay area only)

Canva • San Francisco, CA

1d • $215,000 - $329,000

About The Position

As Canva scales change continues to be part of our DNA. But we like to think that's all part of the fun. So this will give you the flavour of the type of things you'll be working on when you start, but this will likely evolve. At the moment, this role is focused on: Defining the roadmap for Canva’s next-generation video template system, including a scalable Template Schema and high-performance rendering engine across Web, Mobile, and Desktop. Partnering closely with Motion Designers, Product Managers, and AI Researchers to translate creative needs into scalable engineering systems. Architecting and overseeing the “Template Authoring Mode,” balancing professional-grade precision with Canva’s signature simplicity. Recruiting, onboarding, and leading a new specialized engineering team in SF, fostering a culture of technical excellence, creativity, and rapid iteration. Owning end-to-end delivery of the template platform, managing complex cross-group dependencies across Video Engine, Content, and Platform teams. Driving innovation through Generative AI integration — from automated asset matching to intelligent layout adaptation.

Requirements

• You have proven experience managing engineering teams and team leads, ideally within creative tools, multimedia systems, or complex platform environments.
• You bring deep systems architecture expertise and have built extensible frameworks, SDKs, or large-scale content systems.
• You’re familiar with video editing workflows, timeline-based data structures, or graphics rendering pipelines.
• You care deeply about user experience and can advocate for both internal creators and end-user delight.
• You’ve successfully navigated high-growth, matrixed organizations and driven alignment across globally distributed teams.
• You balance long-term architectural thinking with pragmatic execution and fast iteration.

Nice To Haves

• Experience building No-Code/Low-Code platforms, game engines, or professional creative suites.
• Deep understanding of template ecosystems (e.g., Lottie, After Effects, or similar design-to-code frameworks).
• Experience scaling global infrastructure with massive asset libraries and low-latency delivery.
• Exposure to AI/ML integration in creative products (e.g., smart cropping, auto-captioning).

Responsibilities

• Defining the roadmap for Canva’s next-generation video template system, including a scalable Template Schema and high-performance rendering engine across Web, Mobile, and Desktop.
• Partnering closely with Motion Designers, Product Managers, and AI Researchers to translate creative needs into scalable engineering systems.
• Architecting and overseeing the “Template Authoring Mode,” balancing professional-grade precision with Canva’s signature simplicity.
• Recruiting, onboarding, and leading a new specialized engineering team in SF, fostering a culture of technical excellence, creativity, and rapid iteration.
• Owning end-to-end delivery of the template platform, managing complex cross-group dependencies across Video Engine, Content, and Platform teams.
• Driving innovation through Generative AI integration — from automated asset matching to intelligent layout adaptation.

Benefits

• Equity packages - we want our success to be yours too
• Health benefits plans to support you and your wellbeing
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution
• 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed