Head of Communications, South Asia

Tik Tok is seeking an experienced Communications leader to drive our reputation and narrative across the South Asia markets, alongside key regional responsibilities. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in the South Asian landscape, strong media and stakeholder relationships, and extensive experience managing complex, high‑stakes crises in fast‑moving environments. You will be part of a broader regional team across the Middle East, Africa, South & Central Asia and Eastern Europe, manage a direct report, and work closely with cross‑functional partners while playing a central role coordinating across regional realities and priorities.

The role is based in the UAE with regular travel across key South Asian countries.

• Lead, own and deliver the communications and PR strategy for South Asia, grounded in local insight, aligned with regional and global goals, and executed with precision.
• Develop campaigns and narratives that directly support business and reputation objectives, with clear metrics and accountability.
• Bring strong market intelligence and relationship depth to guide senior leaders and cross‑functional teams on how to navigate South Asia's media, cultural and policy landscape.
• Secure and manage priority speaking, media and stakeholder opportunities, preparing spokespeople with the context and confidence they need.
• Maintain a strong, active network of senior journalists, editors, commentators and other influential voices, leveraging these relationships to support both proactive storytelling and rapid response when needed.
• Manage PR and agency partners with a high bar for quality, accuracy and speed.
• Lead crisis preparedness and response across the broader region, ensuring timely, coordinated, and effective handling of high‑risk issues.
• Act as a central point of leadership during escalations, providing clear direction, strong judgement, and communications counsel to regional and market teams.
• Provide guidance and support to in‑market teams, navigating complex regulatory, reputational, and media challenges.
• Develop and standardize crisis response frameworks, playbooks, and escalation protocols across markets.
• Partner closely with Trust & Safety, Legal, Government Relations, Policy, and Product teams.

• Extensive experience in communications or PR, with proven experience operating in complex, high‑stakes environments.
• Deep understanding of the South Asia media, policy, and cultural landscape.
• Strong network of senior media, industry, and stakeholder relationships in South Asia.
• Proven track record of leading crisis and issues management across multiple markets or regions.
• Extensive experience in building and operationalizing regional crisis communications frameworks, including playbooks, escalation protocols, and response guidelines.
• Exceptional writing, messaging, and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Demonstrated ability to operate both strategically and hands‑on, with strong judgment.
• Experience working with cross‑functional teams including Trust & Safety, Legal, Government Relations, and Product.
• Highly organized, detail‑oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in fast‑paced environments.