Senior Global Privacy & Data Governance Counsel

TikTok; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 174,000 - 295,800; Full time

Job summary

TikTok is seeking a Senior Data Privacy Counsel to lead the design and implementation of scalable privacy and data governance programs globally from San Jose. You will collaborate with privacy operations, engineering, security, product, and regional legal teams to ensure privacy compliance across products and regions.

You will translate evolving laws into practical requirements, guide engineers and stakeholders, and drive governance initiatives while maintaining sound legal judgment in a

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications- J.D. or equivalent law degree, and qualification to practice law in at least one jurisdiction.
• 5+ years of post-qualification experience, including at least 3 years of meaningful experience in data privacy, data protection, data governance, technology regulatory work, or a closely related area.
• Strong understanding of major global privacy and data protection laws and frameworks, including GDPR, CCPA, and other key international regimes.
• Experience working with cross-functional stakeholders, including operational, engineering, product, security, and regional legal teams.
• Ability to assess legal requirements and translate them into practical, scalable processes, controls, and operational guidance.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills, with sound legal judgment and a proactive, execution-oriented approach.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, manage ambiguity, and handle challenging issues with professionalism.
• Preferred Qualifications- Experience supporting or leading privacy program, governance, or operational implementation work at a major multinational company, or advising multinational clients on such matters.
• Experience designing or improving scalable legal and operational frameworks for privacy, data governance, or related compliance areas.
• Experience reviewing and advising on engineering specifications, operational workflows, or governance proposals involving privacy, data handling, access, sharing, or retention issues.
• Experience developing, maintaining, or refining internal policies, standards, templates, playbooks, and training materials.
• Experience working in a multinational, highly matrixed, or fast-moving technology company environment.
• Experience partnering across legal, operational, and technical teams to support global privacy compliance and implementation.

Responsibilities

• Support and help lead key components of the company’s global privacy and data governance program, including the design, implementation, and ongoing improvement of scalable legal and operational frameworks.
• Partner closely with privacy operations, engineering, security, product, and other cross-functional teams to review and advise on new and existing processes, operational models, and technical specifications with privacy and data governance implications.
• Analyze new laws, regulations, enforcement trends, and industry developments, and help translate them into practical program requirements, internal guidance, and scalable implementation plans.
• Advise on the development and rollout of privacy-by-design and governance-related processes across the organization.
• Identify recurring issues, common denominators, and thematic risks across products, functions, and regions, and develop consistent legal guidance, frameworks, and solutions that can be applied globally.
• Work closely with other legal teams to align on legal interpretations, implementation approaches, and risk management strategies across jurisdictions.
• Review and advise on engineering specifications, operational workflows, and governance proposals related to privacy, data handling, data access, sharing, retention, and related compliance issues.
• Help develop, maintain, and refine internal policies, standards, templates, playbooks, and training materials to support global privacy compliance and operational consistency.

Education

J.D. or equivalent law degree

Job description

TikTok is seeking a Senior Data Privacy Counsel to lead the design and implementation of scalable privacy and data governance programs globally from San Jose. You will collaborate with privacy operations, engineering, security, product, and regional legal teams to ensure privacy compliance across products and regions.

You will translate evolving laws into practical requirements, guide engineers and stakeholders, and drive governance initiatives while maintaining sound legal judgment in a