Data Protection Lead - USDS
ResponsibilitiesAbout the teamThe AI & Systems Integrity team is seeking highly strategic and execution-oriented Data Protection Lead to build and drive a world-class data protection program in one of the most complex and fast-moving technology environments in the world. This role sits at the intersection of security, privacy, governance, engineering, and business enablement, and is responsible for defining and scaling the frameworks, controls, and operating mechanisms that protect data across products, platforms, and internal systems.About the RoleThe ideal candidate combines strong technical depth with program leadership, and is equally comfortable shaping company-wide strategy, influencing senior cross-functional stakeholders, and driving operational execution. They should bring a practical understanding of data protection risks in modern technology ecosystems, including cloud environments, large-scale data platforms, AI/ML workflows, and globally distributed operations.This is a high-impact leadership role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, can operate across organizational boundaries, and is motivated by building durable, scalable controls that enable the business while strengthening trust, security, and compliance.Key Responsibilities- Define and lead the company’s data protection strategy across data discovery, handling, access governance, retention, transfer, and protection controls.- Build and scale data protection programs, frameworks, and operating models that can support a large, complex, and rapidly evolving technology organization.- Partner closely with Security, Privacy, Legal, Compliance, Infrastructure, Engineering, Product, Data, and Operations teams to design and implement controls that are both effective and practical.- Drive governance for high-risk data use cases, including internal platforms, analytics environments, AI/ML pipelines, and cross-border data flows.- Establish risk-based policies, standards, and control requirements for protecting regulated and business-critical data.- Lead efforts to identify data protection gaps across systems, processes, and organizations, and drive remediation plans with clear accountability and measurable outcomes.- Translate regulatory, legal, and policy requirements into scalable technical and operational controls.- Influence platform and product design decisions early in the development lifecycle to ensure data protection requirements are incorporated upstream.- Develop and monitor key program metrics, control health indicators, and executive reporting to provide clear visibility into data protection posture, risk trends, and remediation progress.- Support internal reviews, regulatory inquiries, customer commitments, and audits related to data protection controls and governance.- Build strong cross-functional alignment at senior levels and serve as a trusted partner to leadership on high-priority data protection decisions.- Drive continuous improvement by balancing risk reduction, operational efficiency, and business velocity.QualificationsMinimum Qualifications- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience along with 5+ years of experience in data protection, security, privacy engineering, security governance, information protection, or a related field in a large-scale technology environment. - Proven experience leading cross-functional programs that span security, privacy, legal, engineering, product, and operations as well as a strong understanding of core data protection domains, including data discovery and classification, encryption, tokenization, key management, access control, data lifecycle management, and secure data handling. - Experience designing or operationalizing controls for data across cloud, data platform, and distributed system environments while having demonstrated ability to translate complex regulatory or policy requirements into practical and scalable control frameworks. - Strong executive communication skills, including the ability to influence senior leaders, drive decisions, and communicate risk clearly and concisely. - Experience operating in ambiguous, fast-paced environments with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities. - Strong program management and execution skills, with a track record of driving measurable outcomes at scale. - Technical fluency sufficient to engage deeply with engineering and infrastructure teams on system architecture, control design, and implementation tradeoffs. Preferred Qualifications- Experience building or leading data protection programs at a large consumer technology, platform, cloud, or AI-driven company.- Experience with data governance in AI/ML environments, including training data, model development pipelines, and evaluation workflows while having Familiarity with major global regulatory and compliance frameworks related to privacy, security, and data governance.- Deep understanding of how to drive security and governance programs through influence rather than direct authority while displaying Strong judgment in balancing control rigor with business practicality and speed.- Experience with large-scale data ecosystems, including data lakes, warehouses, streaming platforms, and internal developer platforms while possessing Experience leading globally distributed initiatives across multiple regions, business units, or product lines.- Advanced degree in a relevant technical discipline is a plus.About USDSTikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC is dedicated to the safety and security of millions of Americans who create, discover, and connect with what they love on the apps we operate. The Joint Venture has been established in compliance with the Executive Order signed by President Trump on September 25, 2025. Our foundation is a comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity program we operate under defined safeguards to protect national security and secure U.S. user data, apps and the algorithm. We safeguard the U.S. content ecosystem, holding decision-making authority for trust and safety policies and moderation. USDS Joint Venture helps ensure Americans can continue to express their creativity, discover new hobbies and interests, and build thriving communities and businesses on a global scale.On-site presence across teams allows the company to operate with greater speed, alignment, and agility — especially in areas like real-time decision-making, team development, and integrated execution. As such, the company is shifting from a hybrid work model to a fully in-person schedule up to 5 days a week.Why Join UsInspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok's mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy - a mission we work towards every day.We strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We're resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.Diversity & InclusionTikTok 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.USDS Reasonable AccommodationUSDS 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://tinyurl.com/USDS-RAJob Information【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually)The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $199800 - $374400 annually.Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and3. Exercising sound judgment.