Growth Partnerships Manager, Startups (12 Month Fixed Term Contract)

What you'll do Run Canva for Startups end to end across the startup ecosystem, working with accelerators and VCs Own the program mechanics that get startups from sign-up to activation fast, including tiered offers, coupon administration, startup verification, cohort onboarding and partner-specific experiences Track program performance across the startup lifecycle, from portfolio penetration and offer redemption through to activation and conversion, using the data to decide where we invest next Be a visible ambassador for Canva in the startup ecosystem, hosting founder events and workshops, showing up at demo days and accelerator cohorts, and building relationships with VC and Accelerator teams Source, structure, negotiate, and launch distribution partnerships across Banks & Fintechs, Telcos and OEMs, balancing near-term revenue with longer-term distribution opportunities Own channel outcomes with clear targets, tracking and an operating cadence tied to MAU and revenue Ship partner launches by working cross-functionally with Product, Marketing, Legal, Finance, Growth and Strategy teams What we're looking for We’re looking for a builder and true generalist—someone who can create and scale a program, but is equally comfortable getting hands-on and personally driving a partnership or deal from idea through close. This person won’t be stepping into a mature playbook; they’ll help build it. 5+ years in partnerships, business development, growth, or ecosystem roles within a startup or consumer/B2B tech environment. Deep understanding of the startup ecosystem —you know how founders operate and have experience working with VCs, accelerators, startup communities, and other ecosystem partners. Proven deal ownership. You’ve sourced opportunities, built the partnership strategy and business case, negotiated terms, and driven distribution or strategic deals through close—not just managed established relationships. Strong cross-functional operator who can bring Product, Marketing, Legal, Finance, and other teams together to move partnerships forward and make decisions. Able to build and run programs at scale. You can set clear goals, establish an operating cadence, measure results, and manage a broad portfolio while still knowing when to jump in personally. Comfortable building from 0→1. You’re scrappy, self-directed, and able to move quickly without perfect information, established processes, or someone telling you what to do next. Bonus: You’ve been a founder, worked at a VC or accelerator, built a startup/ecosystem program from scratch, or closed consumer/SMB distribution partnerships.   Other stuff to know We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills, merit and business needs, in compliance with applicable local laws. We celebrate all types of skills and backgrounds at Canva so even if you don’t feel like your skills quite match what’s listed above - we still want to hear from you! When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process. Please note that interviews are conducted virtually. Check out lifeatcanva.com for more info. At Canva we value fairness, and we strive to provide competitive, market-informed compensation whilst ensuring internal equity within the team in each region. We make hiring decisions based on your skills, experience and our overall assessment of what we observed and learnt in the hiring process. The target salary range for this position is $185,000 to $245,000 USD. When calculating offers, we make salary decisions based on market data and candidates' skills and experience.