Escalation Response Program Lead - USDS

Why Join Us
Creation is the core of TikTok's purpose. Our platform is built to help imaginations thrive. This is doubly true of the teams that make TikTok possible.
Together, we inspire creativity and bring joy-a mission we all believe in and aim towards achieving every day.
To us, every challenge, no matter how difficult, is an opportunity; to learn, to innovate, and to grow as one team. Status quo? Never. Courage? Always.
At TikTok, we create together and grow together. That's how we drive impact - for ourselves, our company, and the communities we serve.
Join us.

Team Intro
The Risk & Response Team is a multi-disciplinary team that handles risk detection, prevention and handling in the US, dedicated to maintaining a safe and secure online environment for users by actively monitoring and responding to emergent threats, ensuring compliance with legal regulations, and address real-life implications of online content.
As Program Leader of the Incident Management Team, you will play a critical role in safeguarding the integrity of our platform by managing high-priority escalations and emergent risks. This individual contributor role requires strong leadership skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders across multiple regions.

You will be instrumental in designing and operationalizing our response to emergency escalations, promptly detecting and removing content related to various online risks and harms. You'll also contribute to post-mortem and root cause analyses, enhancing our strategies to mitigate the recurrence of similar incidents.

In order to enhance collaboration and cross-functional partnerships, among other things, at this time, our organization follows a hybrid work schedule that requires employees to work in the office 3 days a week, or as directed by their manager/department. We regularly review our hybrid work model, and the specific requirements may change at any time.

This position will be based in Los Angeles, Mountain View, New York, or Washington D.C. and will entail a Tuesday-Saturday, or Sunday-Thursday work week. It also requires participation in a 24/7 on-call schedule, which includes holiday support.

Responsibilities:
- Establish the incident management program within USDS with teams operating in the US, UK, and Australia
- Collaborate with leaders of other functions to integrate incident management processes and ensure synergy including alignment with leadership and the Child Safety Team and Emergency Response Team
- Develop SOPs and workflows for incident management across regions, fostering a cohesive global approach
- Triage high-priority escalations for the USDS T&S organization, identifying and evaluating emerging risks
- Develop and execute investigative strategies for tackling escalations, driving action items, holding partners accountable, and communicating updates in real-time
- Lead high-priority escalations, ensuring compliance with U.S. user privacy regulations and protocols
- Coordinate with internal and external partners, to ensure user safety in high-priority escalations
- Execute instant decision-making while analyzing a variety of factors that include imminence of danger, sensitivities, and graphic content
- Report findings to stakeholders, initiating post-mortem and root cause analysis to mitigate likelihood of recurrence for the same or similar incidents
- Create and articulate written and/or verbal responses to questions from law enforcement, government agencies, and internal teams regarding Emergency Response policy, process, and escalation management
- Handle sensitive information in compliance with Terms of Service, applicable laws, and regulations, and internal SOPs while protecting user privacy
- Draft internal documentation, workflows, and procedures concerning safety, data disclosure, and escalation management
- Demonstrate operational excellence on a team that evaluates risk, threats, and user privacy in the world centered around time-critical emergency escalations, including reviewing inbound emergency escalations from Law Enforcement and other teams

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a related field and over 4 years of relevant experience in incident management, trust and safety, or investigative roles.
- Excellent decision-making skills under pressure, with the ability to prioritize and act swiftly.
- Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate complex issues clearly and concisely.
- Proven ability to thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments, prioritize work, and make grounded decisions in high-pressure situations
- Experience in reviewing or being exposed to sensitive content that violate our community guidelines, which include but are not limited to bullying; hate speech; child abuse; sexual assault; torture; bestiality; self-harm; suicide; and murder.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive collaboration across regions.
- Technical aptitude for learning complex tools or systems required for daily operations.

Preferred qualifications:
- Incident management experience on a global team
- Specialized experience in handling Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) cases.
- Ability to pull and analyze data independently for informed decision-making.
- High level of integrity and discretion when handling sensitive information.
- Your ability to work in a high tempo environment, adapt, respond to day-to-day challenges of the role.
- Your resilience and commitment to self-care to manage the emotional demands of the role.

Wellbeing Statement
Trust & Safety recognizes that keeping our platform safe for TikTok communities is no ordinary job. It can be rewarding, psychologically demanding, and emotionally taxing. This is why we are sharing the potential hazards, risks and implications in this unique line of work from the start: so our candidates are well informed before proceeding.
We are committed to the wellbeing of all our employees and promise to provide comprehensive and evidence-based programs, to promote and support physical and mental wellbeing throughout each employee's journey with us. We believe that wellbeing is a relationship and that everyone has a part to play, so we work in collaboration and consultation with our employees and across our functions in order to ensure a truly centered, innovative and integrated approach.

D&I Statement
TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.

Accommodation Statement
TikTok is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://shorturl.at/ktJP6

Data Security Statement
This role requires the ability to work with and support systems designed to protect sensitive data and information. As such, this role will be subject to strict national security-related screening.