Head of Emergency Response, Trust & Safety - USDS

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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.
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Team Intro
The Emergency Response Team (ERT) for TikTok USDS handles emergency data disclosures to law enforcement in the US. The team is dedicated to maintaining a safe and secure online environment for users by actively monitoring and responding to imminent risks, ensuring compliance with legal regulations, and addressing real-life implications of online content.

We are seeking a strategic and operationally-savvy leader to join our team as the Head of Emergency Response. This role is critical in overseeing a 24-hour operational team that manages sensitive and high-stakes situations involving emergency disclosure requests and other law enforcement interactions. These escalations involve life and death situations and require good judgment, thorough documentation, and thoughtful decision-making. This is a highly dynamic role that requires a leader who is comfortable working across time zones, skilled at navigating complex operational challenges, and dedicated to both the well-being of their team and the broader company goals

As ERT Manager you will be managing the team responsible for analyzing and addressing emergency requests and emergency escalations.

Our Emergency Response team performs a critical function that supports our efforts to address objectionable or disturbing content. Content that our Emergency Response team interacts with includes images, video, and text related to every-day 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.

This position will be full time, and may require occasional availability overnight/weekends for escalations, or coverage for team members with structured shifts providing 24/7 coverage.

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.

Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee a 24-hour Emergency Response Team, ensuring seamless operations across multiple time zones and ensuring effective scheduling and staffing.
• Foster a culture of growth and resilience within the team, focusing on mental health, stress management, and maintaining high performance standards.
• Work closely with the team to identify operational challenges and tooling issues, driving remediation efforts to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Serve as a bridge between ERT and other departments, sharing insights and solutions that benefit the entire organization.
• Make timely decisions in high-pressure situations while effectively communicating to legal partners and senior leadership, keeping them informed and engaged on key issues.
• Analyze and navigate complex legal risks associated with emergency disclosures of private data, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and policies in alignment with the legal team.
• Lead efforts to identify, assess, and act on imminent risks, conducting disclosures to law enforcement in accordance with company policies and legal requirements.
• Develop strategies to detect and prevent fraudulent requests, ensuring the integrity of interactions with law enforcement and other external stakeholders.
• Use data collection and analysis to identify trends, assess risks, and implement improvements to processes and team performance.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a related field and extensive experience in incident management, Trust and Safety, or investigative roles.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive collaboration across regions.
• High level of integrity and discretion when handling sensitive information.
• Technical aptitude for learning complex tools or systems required for daily operations.- Extensive experience in an operational role, with at least 2-4 years in a leadership position managing trust and safety teams or similar related field of work.
• Strong understanding of legal risks related to emergency disclosures, including the handling of EDRs, subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants.
• Proven ability to work effectively with legal, security, and other cross-functional teams to ensure compliance and manage risks.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to manage team dynamics, resolve conflicts, and foster a collaborative working environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate complex issues clearly and concisely.
• A degree in law, criminal justice, or related field, or experience working in Trust and Safety with a focus on emergency response.
• Familiarity with EU and US laws and regulations impacting Trust and Safety operations (COPPA, TERREG, etc)
• Demonstrated success in managing 24/7 operational teams, including experience with scheduling, time zone management, and handling stress in high-stakes environments.
• Familiarity with detecting and managing fraudulent law enforcement requests, ensuring accurate and secure processing.
• Track record of challenging the status quo and driving forward-thinking changes that enhance team and company performance.
• Experience using data analytics to drive decision-making and process improvements.
• Excellent decision-making skills under pressure, with the ability to prioritize and act swiftly.
• 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.

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.