Incident Management Lead - USDS

About the team The Risk & Response Team for TikTok USDS is a multi-disciplinary team that handles risk detection, prevention, and handling in the United States.

The team is 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 addressing the real-life implications of online content. As the USDS Trust & Safety Incident Management Lead, you will play a critical role in safeguarding the integrity of our platform by effectively leading the management of high-priority escalations and emergent risks. This role requires exceptional leadership skills, strategic thinking, and a proven ability to inspire and guide a team while collaborating effectively with internal and external stakeholders across multiple regions.

You will be instrumental in leading the design and operationalization of our response to emergency escalations, promptly detecting and removing content related to various online risks and harms. Your role involves fostering strong collaborations with internal and external partners to ensure user safety in time-critical situations. Youll also lead the contribution to post-mortem and root cause analyses, driving enhancements to our strategies to mitigate the recurrence of similar incidents.

This team performs a critical function that supports our efforts to address objectionable or disturbing content. Content that our Incident Managers interact with includes images, video, and text related to everyday life, but it can also include (but is not limited to) bullying; hate speech; child abuse; sexual assault; torture; bestiality; self-harm; suicide; and murder. It is possible that this role will be exposed to harmful content on a daily basis.

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 full-time and will be based in our Los Angeles, CA.

San Jose, CA, Washington, D.C., or New York City locations. It also requires participation in a 24/7 on-call schedule, which will include holiday support.

Responsibilities

• Lead a high-performing and independent team of Incident Managers who will be on the front line coordinating the response to major global Trust & Safety incidents and crises with a focus on protected data.

Youll act as a partner and leader in strategy for the team assuring that operations are effective for success.

• Youll drive the USDS Incident Management escalation roadmap and prioritization, setting clear objectives and ensuring alignment with overarching Trust & Safety goals.
• Youll oversee the prioritization of reported incidents across multiple internal and external channels for TikTok and lead the response to global partner inquiries, exhibiting grace when faced with high stakeholder pressure.
• Youll champion the analysis of incident trends, systems, and data to provide actionable recommendations for process, policy, and product improvements, driving continuous enhancement of our response capabilities.
• Youll tightly coordinate with USDS and global cross-functional teams, including Policy, Legal, and Product, among others, to lead the response to crises, ensuring seamless collaboration and effective communication.
• Youll partner with cross-functional teams to lead the alignment on root cause analysis for major Trust & Safety incidents, fostering a culture of learning and prevention.
• Youll enhance incident workflow response strategy across multiple timezones and teams, ensuring a cohesive and efficient global response.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to inspire, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of diverse backgrounds and skillsets, fostering professional growth and a collaborative environment.
• Proven ability to lead effectively, think critically, strategically prioritize complex projects, and ensure the delivery of high-quality work under significant time constraints.
• Extensive experience leading cross-functional initiatives within a highly matrixed, global organization with the ability to influence leadership at all levels.
• Demonstrated experience effectively leading and collaborating in a fast-paced, cross-functional, highly matrixed, global organization with external and internal teams, coupled with strong communication skills and the ability to influence outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify key trends, insights, and problems and translate these effectively into actions and systematic processes that drive performance.
• Aware of social media challenges and sensitivity to safety or regulatory issues.

Preferred Qualifications

• 4+ years previous leadership experience in a fast-paced, global organization, with a track record of building and developing successful teams.
• Previous experience working in a Trust & Safety environment or risk management would be advantageous.
• Data-driven mindset, SQL or Excel skills a plus.
• 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.