Creative Lead / Design Director

Job Description

The Creative Lead, Content MENAP 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 MENAP. 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.

What you'll be doing

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 MENAP 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 MENAP market, ensuring creative and editorial output aligns with user needs and cultural nuances.

• Provide cultural expertise to scale content, ensuring authenticity and relevance to MENAP 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 visibility, engagement, or impact in MENAP.

Partnership & Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate with local SEO, Marketing, and Country Managers, in partnership with Design Ops Managers, to align on creative goals and content needs, and confidently prioritise and negotiate trade-offs.

• Lead the rollout of local partnership content through culturally relevant creative strategies and campaigns.

• Manage creative strategy, brand adherence, and feedback implementation to meet partner expectations and project goals.

• Communicate initiatives and results to senior leadership, ensuring visibility across stakeholders.

Competitive Analysis

• Monitor competitor activity and creative trends across the region to identify new opportunities and maintain strategic edge.

• Use findings to inform the content roadmap and differentiate Canva's creative offerings in the local market.

Project Management

• Set clear, ambitious, and achievable content and creative goals for the MENAP region, and translate them into detailed projects with milestones and deliverables.

• Monitor project execution, mitigate risks, and escalate challenges when necessary to ensure timely, high-quality outcomes.

• Maintain visibility into campaign timelines and production volume goals across all creative operations.

• Maintain an agile mindset and adapt quickly to shifting priorities and dynamic day-to-day needs.

Freelance & Creator Management

• Oversee local freelance designers, managing recruitment, briefing, output review, and development.

• Build strong relationships with the Creators Production and Community teams, providing hyperlocal direction through well-crafted briefs and feedback loops.

• Champion Creator-led content that resonates deeply with local audiences and reflects cultural authenticity.

Reporting & Communication

• Report on the performance and ROI of creative campaigns, using analytics to guide and improve future content plans and outputs.

• Keep senior management and regional stakeholders informed about key initiatives, learnings, and creative progress.

• Ensure alignment and transparency through consistent documentation and communication.

Feedback & Quality Assurance

• Provide timely feedback and approvals across creative workstreams, maintaining alignment with both business goals and creative standards.

• Drive internal reviews and uphold quality benchmarks for all deliverables across content types.

Team Building & Culture

• Contribute to and foster a collaborative, innovative, and high-performing regional creative team culture.

• Promote continuous improvement through process optimization, retrospectives, and shared best practices.

• Encourage creative excellence while ensuring inclusion, psychological safety, and alignment across diverse teams.

What we're looking for

We’re looking for a creative leader who is passionate about design, culturally attuned, and driven by excellence. You bring an international design perspective — with a deep appreciation for how aesthetics, storytelling, and visual language differ across cultures. You understand that design isn’t one-size-fits-all, and you thrive on creating content that feels authentic, relevant, and respectful in every market.

You combine strong visual craft with strategic thinking, confidently setting the creative vision while rolling up your sleeves to execute when needed. You’ll thrive in this role if you’re curious, collaborative, and deeply committed to empowering local users through content that feels made for them.

You’ll have:

• Fluent in English, Arabic and familiarity in other dialects in the region

• Proven experience in creative leadership roles, ideally with international, regional, or market-level remit

• A strong portfolio showcasing exceptional design work and content campaigns that reflect cultural resonance and local user needs

• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams (SEO, Growth, Marketing, Product)

• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and storytelling skills

• A strategic mindset, balancing creative innovation with business and user goals

• Experience managing freelancers and/or creators, with a focus on quality and alignment

• Comfort working in a fast-paced, evolving environment with an experimentation mindset

To apply, please submit:

• Your updated portfolio

• A resume