Product Manager - Security

About Canonical

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. Canonical 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.

About the Product Management Team

Canonical’s product management team consists of technologists passionate about delivering products and solutions that shape market demands while elevating open source software. This is a general application track for Product Manager - Security positions at Canonical. You will set a clear vision, prioritize work effectively, and ensure high-quality products that meet business and user needs. Apply here if you excel at leadership, communication, and technical vision, and believe you can drive product strategy for tomorrow's business needs. During the interview process, specific software products will be identified that fit your interests.

We believe open source is transforming how enterprises solve business needs, becoming fundamental to every corner of the software landscape. Our goal is to make open source easier, more reliable, and more secure for deployment and development. We strive to be the provider of ‘most software to most companies’, starting with Ubuntu and expanding to cover every application class on every compute class. To achieve this, we select product managers for their intellect and strong drive to advance the open source community, aiming to improve open source quality, outreach, and impact. Our product managers set the vision and direction to ensure teams deliver the right products in the right markets at the right time, pushing technology boundaries to identify and deliver products into new and existing market opportunities.

Our Product Manager - Security professionals are technology experts with a software engineering background who aspire to become business executives and entrepreneurs. They discuss strategy, plan product development, drive engagement, and promote the open source way. They oversee the entire product lifecycle from conception to delivery, blending technical expertise, strategic thinking, analytics, project management skills, and effective communication to ensure products meet both user needs and business objectives.

Product Domains

Canonical has open product manager roles across a wide range of product domains, including (but not limited to):

• Ubuntu Platform: Ubuntu experience on Desktop, Server, Windows (WSL), Multipass, Gaming, Enterprise, & Hardware Enablement
• Ubuntu Pro Services: Key commercial offerings Ubuntu Pro, Compliance, Standards, Security Engineering, and Managed Services on cloud and on prem
• AI/ML & MLOps: Open source AI/ML solutions, AIOps automation, model lifecycle management, Kubeflow, MLFlow, KServe, and AI infrastructure on cloud and edge
• IoT: Ubuntu on embedded devices and/or edge servers, device management, and robotics
• Cloud: Ubuntu in public and private clouds, promoting automation frameworks, including Kubernetes, MAAS, and LXD
• Telco: Open source for Telco's including technologies and standards related to Core Network, RAN/vRAN, SoNIC, DENT, and SmartNICs
• Finance: Open source solutions for financial institutions including trading platforms, blockchain technologies, regulatory compliance, and AI-driven analytics
• Automotive: Open source solutions for autonomous driving, in-vehicle infotainment, connected vehicles, and compliance with automotive industry standards such as ISO 26262 and ISO 21434
• Application Management: Open source solutions in the enterprise including Observability, IAM, App Stores and technologies such as Grafana, GitOps, and Juju Charms

If your domain of expertise isn’t listed above, yet you feel it’s relevant to Canonical, then feel free to apply anyway. We will route you to the most suitable team.

The Product Manager - Security Role Entails

• Lead the product development lifecycle, reviewing priorities and goals for your product.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as engineering, design, marketing, and sales.
• Address common challenges, align on priorities, enable informed decisions, and keep business execution on track.
• Conduct market research, analyse industry trends, and gather customer feedback to identify opportunities.
• Communicate product vision, status updates, and key decisions to ensure alignment and manage expectations.
• Conduct usability testing, analyse user feedback, and iterate on the product to improve the user experience.
• Collaborate with marketing, sales, and support teams for go-to-market strategies, product documentation, and training.
• Contribute to sales success by reviewing customer feedback and participating in customer meetings.
• Oversee a product line, ensuring consistency in strategy and execution across different teams.
• Facilitate collaboration and resolve conflicts within and across departments.

What We Are Looking For In You

• Exceptional academic results at high school and university.
• Understanding of Linux and the wider open source software community.
• Understanding of computer architecture, application development, datacenters, cloud, or devices.
• Passion to write about technologies and the tech landscape.
• A strong work ethic, and personal interests aligned with the open source movement.
• Curiosity, and the habit of continuous learning.
• A strong sense of ownership.
• Problem solving and the ability to innovate.
• Outstanding communications skills in English, both verbal and written.
• For more senior positions, product management experience in the software industry.
• Ability to manage multiple projects or product lines while maintaining focus on key priorities.
• Demonstrated leadership in aligning diverse teams and driving consensus around product strategies.
• Willingness to travel internationally up to 4 times a year for company events up to two weeks long.

Additional Skills That We Value

• Familiarity with particular verticals (e.g., Telco, Finance, Industrial, Automotive).
• Familiarity with the technology ecosystem including Silicon, IHV, ISV, ODM/OEMs, cloud service providers, and channel.
• Familiarity with cloud native technologies such as Kubernetes, Docker containers, & Snaps.
• Familiarity with embedded and connected device technology and ecosystems.
• Familiarity with networking technologies - ethernet, IPv4 and IPv6, routing, firewalling, overlays such as OVN/OVS, VPNs, SR-IOV, infiniband.
• Familiarity with telco networking - RAN, Core, CPE.
• Experience in leading distributed teams across different time zones.
• Demonstrated ability to foster collaboration and innovation in team settings.

What We Offer You

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 or commission. 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 Program.
• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues.
• Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long haul company events.

Key skills/competency

• Product Lifecycle Management
• Open Source Software
• Technical Product Management
• Market Research & Analysis
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Strategic Thinking
• Software Engineering Background
• Security Engineering
• Ubuntu Platform
• Cloud Native Technologies