TikTok looks to hire in Southeast Asia under eCommerce arm

TikTok is looking to hire tech talent across SEA to build on its eCommerce offering. On LinkedIn, the social media platform has posted for jobs for data engineers, software engineers, and tech leads in Singapore under its TikTok eCommerce arm. Similarly, it has opened up nine job opportunities for eCommerce in Indonesia, including user and campaign operation specialist, category lead, business development, and customer service specialist.

This comes after TikTok was reportedly planning "an aggressive expansion" into eCommerce in the United States, according to The Financial Times, which quoted its sources. The video-hosting app is said to have briefed advertisers on "a number of new features" it will be rolling out this year. This includes a tool that allows selected users to share links to products and earn commission for any sales converted, even if they are not sponsored by the brands.

Additionally, The Financial Times reported that TikTok will be rolling out “livestreamed” shopping, which is essentially a mobile version of television shopping channels. Under this feature, TikTok users will be able to purchase goods showcased on the app. TikTok has since declined to comment on MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's previous enquiries whether these new features will be rolled out in Southeast Asia as well. 

Aside from boosting its eCommerce offering with tech talents, TikTok is also going on a hiring spree across its different verticals in Southeast Asia. A quick check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE showed that there are 52 job openings in Singapore on LinkedIn, including the roles of SEA operations leader, channel partnerships lead, talent acquisition lead, machine-learning engineer for TikTok Ads and more. Similarly, including the roles for its eCommerce arms, there are 21 job openings for TikTok Indonesia for various roles such as content and creator strategist, community partnerships manager, and channel partnership manager. In Malaysia, TikTok is looking to hire nine talent for positions such as marketing manager, search operation specialist, and music data analyst.

Earlier this month, TikTok entered a partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG). According to its press release, the partnership aims to deliver equitable compensation for recording artists and songwriters, as well as promote the development of new innovative experiences and the ability to forge deeper bonds between fans and the artists and music they love.

In a statement to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Alan Tang, director of music, SEA, TikTok said with the partnership, TikTok users will be able to incorporate clips from UMG’s full catalog of music, spanning the company’s iconic labels, songwriters and global territories. He also added that the partnership includes new features and tools to benefit artists in the near future. 

“UMG and TikTok will now work more closely than ever to promote ambitious experimentation, innovation and collaboration, with the shared objective of developing new music experiences and features. Driving new and deeper connections with fans, this agreement delivers equitable compensation to our recording artists and songwriters, as well as a commitment to develop industry-leading tools, A&R insights and models necessary to advance their careers," Michael Nash, executive vice president of digital strategy at UMG said in its press release. 

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