Jobs · Full-time

Senior HR Generalist at Canonical - Remote EMEA — Columbus

LocationColumbus
CompanyCanonical
Sourcejobicy
Posted2026-09-02 04:44:54

Traveler-Friendly Insight

Canonical is one of the most nomad-friendly employers in tech. With a fully distributed model since 2004 and 1,200+ colleagues in 75+ countries, the company is built around async-first collaboration. This Senior HR Generalist role is explicitly remote within the EMEA region, giving you a wide geographic canvas to work from.

Timezone flexibility: The EMEA region spans UTC-1 to UTC+4, covering popular nomad hubs like Lisbon (UTC+0/+1), Tbilisi (UTC+4), and Dubai (UTC+4). Most internal collaboration will likely cluster around European business hours (9am–6pm CET), so async discipline is valued but some overlap with European mornings is expected.

Visa considerations: Many EMEA countries now offer digital nomad visas well-suited to this role — notably Portugal's D8 visa, Germany's Freiberufler permit, and Spain's Digital Nomad Visa. As a salaried employee of a UK-headquartered company, your specific visa pathway depends on your country of tax residency; consult a cross-border employment specialist.

  • Lisbon: Monthly costs ~€1,800–2,500 for a comfortable lifestyle — very manageable on a senior tech-company salary.
  • Tbilisi: Extremely affordable (~$800–1,200/month), with no income tax for remote foreign income in Georgia.
  • Dubai: Tax-free income, but higher living costs (~$2,500–3,500/month). Good for EMEA timezone alignment.

Travel perks are real: Up to 4 company-paid trips per year with Priority Pass and long-haul upgrades — a genuine perk for frequent travelers who want to combine work retreats with exploration.

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very 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 1200+ 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.

We require an HR function that thinks and acts globally. We're looking for a Senior HR Generalist to offer their expertise to our EMEA region. It's an exciting time to join with the opportunity to help shape and create an HR function for the future. The senior role will serve as a driver and practitioner in both regional and global HR initiatives. You will join a global team of HR professionals to provide precise, compliant and scalable HR operations to the business, advise and execute on HR issues across the whole employee life-cycle, and partner with leadership in your region. You will have an analytical approach, a keen eye for detail and the ability to interpret data trends and themes.

Location: This role will be based remotely in the EMEA region.

The Role Entails

  • Deliver precise and compliant HR operations in a timely manner and with the highest degree of accuracy
  • Interact closely with the EMEA HR Manager and the Global Head of HR to create impact across all HR regions
  • Be accountable for HR processes such as talent development, succession planning, performance assessments, onboarding, culture and engagement initiatives that drive a high performing team
  • Work with managers across the business on performance management, organizational design, employee engagement, rewards, and workforce planning
  • Partner with the HRIS team to develop and refine operational processes for day to day HR administration
  • Coach and advise people managers on the full spectrum of employee relations issues across multiple countries
  • Partner with people managers to support the delivery of appropriate training and development programs
  • Establish a trusted partnership with the business in your region
  • Drive diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives
  • Design new policies and deliver on business-critical HR related projects globally

What We Are Looking For

  • Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
  • HR experience leading initiatives across regions within a technology business
  • Regional HR experience within EMEA (France, Germany and/or UK is a plus), with an understanding of local labor laws, competitive awareness and insights
  • Experience in business partnering with senior stakeholders
  • A good balance between leading and executing — in this role you will need to be hands-on involved in the daily HR routines
  • Experience mentoring and developing others
  • Strong project management skills with the ability to define done and keep deliverables on track
  • Experience in working in a remote-first organization
  • Able to leverage data to make informed decisions
  • Fluent in business English (written and spoken)
  • Self-motivated, organized, accurate, confident, authentic, results-orientated, open-minded and enthusiastic
  • Willingness to travel up to 4 times a year for internal events

Nice to Have Skills

  • Experience with immigration policies and mobility processes
  • Payroll and/or benefits oversight experience
  • Knowledge of HR systems and databases
  • Professional HR certification(s)
  • Facilitation skills

What We Offer

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognise outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus. We provide all team members with additional benefits, which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.

  • 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 its 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.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this role truly remote or is some office presence required?
The role is fully remote within the EMEA region. Canonical has operated as a distributed-first company since 2004, with very few office-based roles globally.
How much travel is involved in this position?
The role requires willingness to travel up to 4 times per year for internal team events. Canonical provides Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company events.
Which countries within EMEA are eligible for this role?
The job posting states the role is open to candidates based remotely anywhere in the EMEA region, which encompasses Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
What is the salary range for this position?
Canonical has not published a specific salary range. Compensation is shaped by geographical location, experience, and performance, and is reviewed annually. A performance-driven annual bonus is also included.
Is experience with French, German, or UK employment law required?
It is listed as a plus rather than a strict requirement. Broad EMEA regional HR experience and understanding of local labor laws are required, with France, Germany, and/or UK knowledge being advantageous.
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