Team Lead

Team Lead About Deccan AI Deccan AI is a GenAI data company that runs the post-training and production layer for the world's leading AI labs and enterprises — from expert feedback and RL environments to managed AI workforces and evaluation infrastructure. Backed by A91 Partners, SIG (Susquehanna International Group) and Prosus Ventures, and having grown 10x last year, Deccan works with a majority of the Magnificent 7 and the top frontier labs globally. Its global network of 1 million+ domain experts powers Helix, its hybrid eval suite, and EnterpriseOS, its scaled ops automation platform. Headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Role Purpose The Team Lead runs the delivery floor for one team on a major client engagement. They lead a team of about 20–25 Associates, own the team's daily throughput, quality and utilisation against KPIs, and make sure every task is allocated, tracked and closed on time. Working closely with the PM, APM, HLQA, Training and Quality, the TL turns the program plan into predictable daily output. This is a hands-on, execution-first role. Location & Growth On-site in Bangalore. Rotational or general shift, with flexibility to overlap with client hours and cover peak periods. Key Responsibilities Daily Floor Operations Run the team's daily rhythm: shift start huddle, task allocation, queue monitoring, shift handover and end-of-day closure. Allocate work across Associates based on skill, workload and priority, so every task has an owner, a due date and a closure. Track hourly and daily production against target and act early on backlogs, idle time or blocked tasks. Manage attendance, leave and shift coverage for the team, and flag capacity gaps to the PM with options. Keep turnaround time, batch closure and SLAs on track for the team's workstreams. Quality & Productivity Review each Associate's quality, productivity, utilisation and rework every day and every week. Spot underperformance early, find the cause (skill, process, tooling, guidelines or workload) and act on it. Work with HLQA and Quality on audit feedback, error trends and root-cause analysis, and close corrective actions by their due dates. Run calibrations and quick refreshers when guidelines change or error patterns appear. Partner with Training to onboard new joiners and bring them to target faster. People Management Lead a team of about 20–25 Associates on the floor. Hold regular one-on-ones, give clear feedback, and coach Associates on quality and productivity. Recognise strong performers, and drive improvement plans (including PIPs) with the PM where needed. Keep the team engaged and motivated, and build a culture of ownership and accountability. Identify and develop future SMEs and Team Leads within the team. Reporting & Process Maintain accurate daily and weekly team trackers for production, quality, utilisation and attendance. Share daily performance updates with the PM, with flagged risks and proposed actions. Make sure the team follows current guidelines and SOPs, and roll out guideline and scope changes on the floor. Suggest and implement process improvements that cut effort, rework or cycle time. Escalations & Coordination Be the first point of escalation for Associates on task, guideline and tooling queries. Resolve floor-level issues quickly and escalate client, resourcing or quality risks to the PM on time. Coordinate with HLQA, Training, Quality, Operations and the Hyderabad team so both sites work to one standard. Support the PM in client reviews with team data and insights, and help with ramp-ups and new pilots. Required Qualifications Experience: 2–4 years in delivery operations, including at least 1 year as a Team Lead. BPO, data-services or annotation experience on a large client account is preferred. Operations: Hands-on with floor management, work allocation, queue and shift handling, SLA tracking, and improving quality or productivity. People: Able to lead and coach a team of Associates, give direct feedback, and handle performance conversations. Analytics: Good working knowledge of Excel or Google Sheets (pivots, lookups, basic dashboards), and able to act on team data. Communication: Clear English, written and spoken. Comfortable explaining guidelines, running huddles and handling escalations calmly. Education: Bachelor's degree in any discipline. What We Look For - Hands-on, proactive and present on the floor. Takes ownership of team results, stays calm under pressure, coaches people to improve, and adapts quickly to changing guidelines and scope.