Director, Talent Science

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1,200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office‑based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution. The company is founder‑led, profitable and growing. Our Talent Science team has a mission to ensure that we follow objective, scientifically rigorous and efficient processes to select the very best new colleagues regardless of location, culture or background. We work closely with key stakeholders to make decisions in the right way and support the selection of world‑class talent. We deliver talent acquisition excellence by leveraging data to enable evidence‑based decisions, weaving behavioural science throughout our selection process and collaborating with our Hiring Leadership team who drive hiring at Canonical. Location This role will be based remotely in the EMEA region. The role entails Leading and delivering the strategic Talent Science project roadmap using exceptional project management capability and influencing skills to manage multiple projects at any given time. Leveraging expertise acquired over time to design and implement solutions to complex problems that ultimately ensure we hire exceptional talent. Ensuring all talent selection initiatives map to high‑performance outcomes and career frameworks. Designing professional processes and frameworks, allowing efficient delivery of our agenda. Coaching and mentoring team members to grow and develop analytical capabilities and thought leadership, developing training materials and documentation to support the team. Driving and representing the team in the absence of the Head of Talent Science, acting as a credible and trusted adviser and an inspiring leader. Working closely with company leaders to understand, appreciate and communicate our vision for talent at Canonical. What we are looking for in you Exceptional academic track record from high school and university, with an undergraduate degree in a psychology or people‑based subject. Track record of team leadership within the technology or consulting industry, with exceptional project management and roadmap execution skills. Proven ability to coach and mentor a team to deliver exceptional results. Deep understanding of selection, career frameworks and building internal products to ensure talent selection criteria matches desired outcomes. Advanced analytical ability to dissect and analyze data using SQL, Python and/or statistical analysis. Exceptional written and spoken English with strong presentation skills for a senior audience. Ability to travel internationally four times a year for company events. Nice‑to‑have skills Advanced psychometric assessments with an excellent understanding of the marketplace and vendors. A deep understanding of human behaviour and what drives intrinsic motivation. Experience of using Superset and advanced dashboarding. What we offer colleagues Distributed work environment with twice‑yearly team sprints in person. Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year. Annual compensation review. Recognition rewards. Annual holiday leave. Maternity and paternity leave. Employee Assistance Programme. Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues. Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long‑haul company events. About Canonical Canonical is a pioneering tech firm at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, we are changing the world of software. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence – in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do. Most colleagues at Canonical have worked from home since our inception in 2004. Working here is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game. Equal Opportunity Employer Canonical is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration. Seniority level Director Employment type Full‑time Job function Human Resources Industries Software Development #J-18808-Ljbffr