Data Understanding Team Lead - Malaysia

TikTok; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

TikTok's Data Cycling Center (DCC) invites a Team Leader to guide a team of Data Understanding Specialists, balancing operations with cross-functional project delivery. You will define labeling rules, monitor data quality, and manage stakeholders to ensure timely, quality outcomes.

The role focuses on leadership, process improvement, and bridging teams to support AI development across TikTok's business lines. Excellent communication and problem-solving skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Min 3 years experience managing or leading teams within an operational or project management setting with data/business analytics education/experience
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for clear and effective communication with both requestors and labellers
• Some experience in project management with organizational skills to manage multiple tasks concurrently, preferably in a data environment
• Demonstrates learning agility with strong problem solving skills
• Fluency in English (written and verbal)

Responsibilities

• Define clear and unambiguous labelling rules to ensure high quality labelling output
• Simplify labelling rules to reduce contextual knowledge for labelling while providing training to labellers if needed
• Ensure that labelling rules meet model training requirements
• Monitor and review quality of labelled data
• Timely root‑cause identification of quality issues for remediation
• Identify opportunities and areas of improvement to optimize delivery
• Deliver projects on time and on target flagging any key risks that arise
• Deep dive into issues that arise during project lifecycle with solutions that ensure delivery
• Manage stakeholders to drive transparency across the data delivery pipeline
• Managing a team: ability to identify strengths and weaknesses, provide constructive feedback & motivate and recognize effort
• Building & Directing: encourage cross team collaboration, provide clear direction and milestones, inspire actions towards challenging objectives
• Ownership & accountability: accept and apply constructive feedback, eager to embrace uncertainty, promotes culture and core values consistently

Skills

Team leadership

Project management

Operational excellence

English fluency

Education

Data analytics background

Tools

Excel

SQL

Python

R

Job description

Responsibilities

Data Cycling Center (DCC) is a Data Science team that is responsible for building the mid-platform data layer that powers AI development across all business lines of TikTok, including e-commerce, advertising, livestreaming, and emerging technologies. Our initiatives include:

• Scaled human-in-the-loop (HITL) data processing (including capability, methodology, E2E process, platform), delivering the most cost-effective results at benchmark quality levels that outperform leading tech peers.
• Built a highly automated end-to-end data pipeline for AI-generated content (AIGC) that supports strong model performance with minimal resource input.
• Develop a comprehensive content understanding and insight generation system, setting new benchmarks for marketing intelligence in the online ads ecosystem.

DCC aims to be the number 1 data service provider in the AI era. Our mission is to build the most effective (lossless and affordable) content understanding capabilities to fully satisfy AI needs of TikTok and to help the industry push the limit.

The Team Leader will oversee a team of Data Understanding Specialists (DUS), providing hands‑on guidance and support in operational execution and project delivery. This role focuses on day‑to‑day team management, ensuring that projects are delivered efficiently while maintaining high‑quality standards. The ideal candidate will have experience in both operations and cross‑functional project management, helping to bridge teams, drive progress, and support the professional growth of their direct reports.

Responsibilities

Labelling rules clarification and training

• Define clear and unambiguous labelling rules to ensure high quality labelling output
• Simplify labelling rules to reduce contextual knowledge for labelling while providing training to labellers if needed
• Ensure that labelling rules meet model training requirements

Quality improvement and assurance

• Monitor and review quality of labelled data
• Timely root‑cause identification of quality issues for remediation
• Identify opportunities and areas of improvement to optimize delivery

Project management

• Deliver projects on time and on target flagging any key risks that arise
• Deep dive into issues that arise during project lifecycle with solutions that ensure delivery
• Manage stakeholders to drive transparency across the data delivery pipeline

Leadership Skills

• Managing a team: ability to identify strengths and weaknesses, provide constructive feedback & motivate and recognize effort
• Building & Directing: encourage cross team collaboration, provide clear direction and milestones, inspire actions towards challenging objectives
• Ownership & Accountability: accept and apply constructive feedback, eager to embrace uncertainty, promotes culture and core values consistently

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification(s)

• Min 3 years experience managing or leading teams within an operational or project management setting with data/business analytics education/experience
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for clear and effective communication with both requestors and labellers
• Some experience in project management with organizational skills to manage multiple tasks concurrently, preferably in a data environment
• Demonstrates learning agility with strong problem solving skills
• Fluency in English (written and verbal)

Preferred Qualification(s)

• Preferably managed a team of 3-5 data specialists previously
• Proficiency in data interpretation and analysis; Interest in AI and Machine Learning concepts, particularly in the field of data annotation
• Strong technical skills in Excel, SQL and scripting languages (Python, R) are a plus
• Self‑starter who is driven to deliver impactful outcomes

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short‑form mobile video. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and we also have offices in New York City, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Why Join Us

Inspiring 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 & Inclusion

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.