TikTok Shop is unique in the world of online retail, being driven by the power of discovery e-commerce - the platform's ability to help users discover products they didn't even know they were looking for through social content! When it comes to delivering our seamless, one-stop shopping experience for sellers and shoppers, the TikTok Shop Operations team has a wide range of responsibilities.

From Zainab Shafique, who helps develop relationships with TikTok creators, to Sola Nathan, who manages product categories to help sellers find the right audience, to Alanna Essig, who works with agencies that provide many different services to grow businesses, Operations teammates have a direct relationship with merchants, partners, and creators. This unique position gives those who join the team a chance to develop an authentic, human connection with business owners and creators; something that sets us apart from other e-commerce platforms. Read on to find out why that drew each of them to the platform, and how it drives the countless ways Operations teammates are building the future of shopping on TikTok.

One way to achieve excellence in e-commerce is through dedicated support of different product categories. For Sola Nathan, a Category Manager based in London, it's all about accessories.

"I manage fashion accessories. So that's necklaces, rings, bracelets, watches, hair extensions, wigs." Other category managers look after beauty products, furniture, electronics, food, and more. The role of each manager is to make sure sellers in their category are educated on all the TikTok Shop functionalities available to them to maximize their growth and sales.

Using analytics and knowledge of product supply, category managers like Nathan help businesses with product uploads, catalog listings, pricing and deal strategy, creating content, and promotions like flash sales. They also coach businesses on how to create strategic content that best fits the businesses' needs.

"We all have the autonomy and trust to develop the best strategy for our category. I have a lot more scope and flexibility here to kind of drive my own initiatives for accessories, than I had at previous jobs."

"TikTok Shop is all about empowering SMBs," he adds. "I've seen first-hand people leave their 9 to 5 corporate jobs to go full-time selling on TikTok Shop. They change their lives and their families' lives. Anyone can go viral on TikTok Shop as long as they have good products and content strategy. I'm very proud that the Operations team can help make that happen."

Alanna Essig also works to elevate businesses on the platform. As the first TikTok Shop Partner hire, Essig helped shape the agency ecosystem that takes brands and merchants to the next level, integrating traditional sales with TikTok's vast and highly engaged communities.

"Because growing a business through a content platform is a new frontier, many sellers need assistance on how to best leverage their assets in order to grow," she says. "I match sellers with partners/agencies that will best help with content creation for their business." This includes providing any type of service a seller might need to grow their business, such as shop management, creating shopping ads, and Live Shopping.

"When you think about traditional e-commerce marketplaces, it's very search-driven. Shoppers have to go in with an intention, and know exactly what they're looking for," she adds. TikTok Shop, however, is different. "For our platform, it's all about discovery. So we find service providers that promote discovery and content at scale, and that's very different from any other marketplace provider today." She is passionate about how fast TikTok Shop is growing - when she joined the team, the first year it launched in the United States, "nobody in my life even knew TikTok Shop existed!"

The team doesn't only work with shops and partners; they make sure creators have a positive experience on the platform as well. As an Ascending Creator Manager, Zainab Shafique looks at creator development and helps them come up with a strategy to flourish. In addition to answering queries and helping these creators understand how best to use and benefit from the TikTok Shop platform, she also works with creators and pitches ideas for content.

"In general, TikTok Shop content is very to the point because the average watch time is lower," she says. "But we're working with creators to help them understand that what people watch on TikTok Shop doesn't need to be very different from what's created on TikTok. Things like make-up or hair tutorials are incredibly popular in both instances, for example, so we work together with them to make content fit seamlessly wherever it is streaming."

TikTok Shop is one of the first combination of content/discovery e-commerce ecosystems in the industry. The diverse, groundbreaking work afforded to people who uphold its operations attracted Nathan, Essig, and Shafique to the company.

"We're helping shape the discovery e-commerce landscape in this country, which is extremely nascent," says Essig. "Being able to build a marketplace from scratch is such a monumental opportunity, both for us and for the sellers and creators who use it, and will use it. We all have different roles, but share a deep passion for discovery e-commerce."

"People sometimes think TikTok Shop is a side project of TikTok, but it's growing really fast," says Shafique. One of the reasons she joined the TikTok team is due to the efficient and constant growth the platform is capable of. "I wanted to be consistently learning, and not stagnant. We get to help creators and businesses grow, which is very cool. More than any other e-commerce platform on the market today, TikTok Shop Operations is there every step of the way, from strategy to content creation to business growth."

If you're interested in making an impact on countless businesses – and people – that call TikTok Shop home, explore the open roles on the Operations team today.