Chief Revenue Officer

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, as well as industry leaders in many sectors. We are a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with over 1,000 colleagues in more than 70 countries. Most roles are remote, with teams meeting two to four times yearly in person at locations around the world to align on strategy and execution.

We have a significant business opportunity to deliver both infrastructure and business applications to the enterprise market. As companies refresh their data centers, our goal is to be the platform for cloud and apps. As they re-architect business applications to embrace open source, we aim to deliver the majority of their databases, analytics, messaging, publishing, identity, security, workflow, and other open source solutions. We strive to do this at the most efficient price points possible, driving down the total cost of IT. Our ambition is to be counted among the most valued software suppliers to the Global 10,000.

The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing. We are hiring a Chief Revenue Officer to lead our enterprise sales, sales development, partner, channel, alliance, customer success, and field engineering teams. This position will report to the CEO and collaborate with the most senior leaders of Canonical to drive sustainable growth. This role demands both operational and inspirational leadership—program, process, and metric-oriented, with leadership and charisma as necessary but not sufficient. This is not a direct sales position but rather one that requires astute planning, tactical operations, leadership, and insight into the global dynamics of enterprise software procurement.

We seek a leader who is insightful and passionate about the impact of open source in the world. Across every category of computing—from microcontrollers to high-performance CPUs and GPUs, from large-scale cloud infrastructure to small devices—open source is growing in share and reputation. Our mission is to deliver the majority of that software globally, efficiently, and in a way that accelerates progress while maintaining a level playing field. We work closely with silicon and cloud providers to maximise performance, align with their offerings, and provide customers with the broadest range of open source solutions.

Responsibilities

• Define go-to-market strategy: prioritize sectors and markets, identify gaps, and lead hiring to close them
• Challenge teams to create ambitious but sustainable execution plans and metrics with cascading goals
• Oversee execution by reviewing data and making course corrections monthly, quarterly, and annually
• Support leaders in closing large ($10M+ ARR) deals with global enterprises and technology partners
• Share insights from customers and partners to broaden commercial awareness within Canonical
• Oversee recruitment, selection, and onboarding processes in the revenue organization
• Design and lead career and skills development programs and drive continuous improvement
• Foster a culture of transparent communication, accountability, trust, and strong work ethic
• Demonstrate and cultivate passion for Canonical’s mission, customers, and market

Teams Reporting to the CRO

Direct Enterprise Sales

• Set high expectations for sales ability, performance, and results
• Hire sales leaders and set expectations for hiring effectiveness
• Develop annual targets and plans by region, sector, and product
• Ensure accurate reporting on prospects and opportunities
• Review progress and results weekly, monthly, and quarterly
• Ensure high-quality customer engagement and satisfaction

Alliances, Channels, and Partnerships

• Manage ISVs embedding Ubuntu and Canonical open source
• Oversee IHV partnerships (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc.) for certification and preinstallation
• Collaborate with silicon providers (Intel, Nvidia, Qualcomm, etc.) on optimization
• Support cloud partners and customers building on Ubuntu
• Develop VAR, GSI, and distribution partnerships

Sector Go-to-Market

Build and expand expertise in telco, finance, automotive, energy, retail, and health sectors, ensuring the organization can address sector-specific customer needs and trends.

Field Engineering

Lead a team that serves as expert implementers, ensuring delivery of promised solutions and accelerating adoption of Canonical products.

Customer Success

Grow this developing team to strengthen relationships and processes as we expand our portfolio and deepen solution sales.

Revenue Operations

• Ensure accurate pipeline and progress reporting
• Oversee contracting processes and standards
• Review commercial variances with leadership
• Recognize and reward performance through goals and compensation plans

Required Experience

• University degree, preferably in CS or STEM with additional business qualifications
• Operational and leadership experience in a high-growth, recurring revenue, global technology firm
• Proven leadership of a sales, partnership, or field engineering organization
• Deep knowledge of enterprise software and infrastructure markets

Additional Skills

• Software engineering or architecture experience
• Industry insights on trends, strategy, and competition
• Understanding of open source history, dynamics, and strategy

What We Offer

• Distributed work environment with twice-yearly in-person sprints
• 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
• Opportunities to travel for team events
• Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company events

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to diversity and inclusivity, providing fair consideration for all applicants regardless of identity or background.