Senior Managing Counsel, Head of Regulatory Data Releases

About Us

At Booking.com, data drives our decisions. Technology is at our core. And innovation is everywhere. But our company is more than datasets, lines of code or A/B tests. We’re the thrill of the first night in a new place. The excitement of the next morning. The friends you encounter. The journeys you take. The sights you see. And the memories you make. Through our products, partners and people, we make it easier for everyone to experience the world.

The Role

The newly created Senior Managing Counsel and Head of Regulatory Data Releases role is a key position within Booking.com's Privacy function. This role will be responsible for leading and overseeing a team of legal professionals and operations specialists while building, implementing and operationalising data disclosure and "take-down" legal requirements. This is a unique opportunity to shape an operational function in material ways, particularly in the context of the world’s favorite pastime - travel.

As Booking.com continues to expand its operations and digital ecosystem, a dedicated senior counsel is essential to efficiently and consistently manage all regulatory "take down" and data disclosure requests in compliance with legal requirements driven by the evolving landscape of global data and consumer protection laws (including requests under data protection regulations, the EU Digital Services Act, the EU e‑Evidence Directive, and global Short Term Rental regulations). This role will strengthen the company's capacity to respond quickly to enforcement requests and regulatory inquiries, reduce compliance risks, and ensure strong data governance practices across various jurisdictions.

The successful candidate will have a proven experience in:

• Data release subject matter expertise: Demonstrate deep expertise in laws and regulations governing access requests for company data from government, regulatory, law enforcement and other public bodies, associations and individuals.
• Program development: Leading the development and implementation of data release processes, including risk management models, tooling, and reporting with a hands‑on approach.
• Regulatory strategy and compliance: Creating and maintaining a consistent regulatory strategy for data release requests, ensuring compliance with multiple regulatory programs, and offering strategic and operational regulatory advice on established and emerging regulatory risks.
• Cross‑functional collaboration: Collaborating effectively with various stakeholders and teams across the business including legal SMEs across compliance, litigation, and product legal teams on the data releases strategy.
• Team leadership: Developing and managing a team of legal professionals and operations specialists located in different jurisdictions.
• Privacy and Regulatory expertise: Strategic engagement with relevant regulators, enforcement authorities and auditors.

The highly‑skilled lawyers of the Booking.com Legal and Public Affairs department advise the business and drive company objectives. The lawyers of the LPA maintain independence in their professional practice, ensuring that the company will not improperly influence the decision‑making of the lawyers acting in their capacity as lawyers.

Key responsibilities Program Development: Core responsibilities

• Centralised Data Release Management: Design and implement a comprehensive function to centralise and optimise the legal and privacy aspects of various data release requests, including those from law enforcement, data subjects, regulatory bodies, and subpoenas while ensuring alignment with Booking.com’s overall business objectives and consumers’ privacy.
• Data Oversight and Protection: Oversee the processing, transfer, and release of data while safeguarding company interests. This includes ensuring the legal validity and adherence of policies, procedures, taxonomies, and other governance aspects by all internal stakeholders. A hands‑on approach is crucial for designing and improving sustainable processes, workflows, problem‑solving, and providing expertise on data release requirements, privacy, legal, and compliance matters.
• Strategic Governance and Implementation: Co‑establish governance structures and workflows, and oversee the implementation of strategic, risk‑based decision‑making for data releases. This involves partnering and collaborating with subject matter experts and senior stakeholders within the Legal & Public Affairs department (including Compliance, Competition & Consumer, Product Legal, Privacy, and Litigation) to develop and deliver program components. This includes partnering effectively with business leaders and stakeholders to obtain appropriately balanced outcomes considering commercial sensitivities while protecting brand reputation and minimising regulatory risk.
• Technological Integration and Automation: Drive the strategic adoption and integration of advanced tools and standardised workflows to ensure scalable, automated, and secure data release processes. This will enable comprehensive analytics for proactive risk management, data‑driven decision‑making, and trend prediction.
• Process Efficiency and Training: Develop efficient and consistent ways of working, providing guardrails, training, and ongoing education to all stakeholders.
• Compliance and Policy Maintenance: Maintain and update policies, procedures, and processes to ensure compliance with internal, legal, and regulatory standards.
• Impactful Communication and Training: Develop and execute impactful communication strategies, including comprehensive training to ensure adherence to data release processes across all relevant stakeholders.

Privacy and Regulatory Expertise

• Regulatory Data Releases Leadership: Act as the principal point of contact for departments and functions handling inquiries for regulatory authorities and coordinate internally the company’s response in a consistent and sustainable way. The candidate need to demonstrate a strategic balancing between company’s interest, legal obligations and high risk regulatory compliance to successfully deliver on data release program across various regulations.
• Regulatory Engagement Strategy: In close liaison with other LPA leaders, develop and execute an engagement strategy with regulators and enforcement authorities that support business needs and strategy.
• Regulatory Data Releases Expertise: Provide legal advice on privacy‑related matters related to data releases and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and guidelines. Stay abreast of relevant regulations and corporate enforcement trends and apply/enhance a method for meeting new requirements efficiently.

Team Management

• Team Leadership: Lead and manage a team of legal counsels and legal operations within the Centre of Excellence. Drive team growth, development, and effectiveness by mentoring and developing professionals within the function, ensuring alignment with the strategic priorities of the business. This includes frequent travel to the Centre of Excellence to ensure seamless and ongoing integration of the team with other teams located in other jurisdictions.
• Operations Management: Oversee a team of legal operations to ensure consistent and sustainable assessment and delivery of results.
• Planning and Resource Management: Proactively manage resources for efficiency by anticipating future peak workloads and team member availability (including holidays and leaves).
• Reporting: Responsible for reporting on all Data Releases activities to senior management, including identifying trends, anticipating new regulations, and identifying new business risks.

Qualification & skills

• Law degree.
• 8 – 15 years post‑qualification experience in a global large‑scale corporate international environment in a legal role involving privacy and/or regulatory compliance.
• Active admission to practice law in at least one relevant jurisdiction.
• Experience leading a privacy data release program or a similar regulatory area strongly preferred.
• Experience with direct or principal engagement with regulators, enforcement authorities, or other supervising authorities.
• Experience designing, building and running risk management programs including the development of governance framework and reporting mechanisms.
• Knowledge and experience in conducting and applying risk assessments.
• Great team player.
• Demonstrated excellent managerial experience, strong leadership, and advanced coaching skills to effectively manage a team of legal operations and analysts.
• Adaptable: Has openness to new ideas, is a “quick‑read” for changing situations and balances long‑term view with short‑term actions.
• Proactive, with the ability to quickly respond to issues at hand; able to prioritize effectively; entrepreneurial.
• Exceptional communication skills (verbal, written and listening) to effectively engage, influence and advise internal and external stakeholders.

Deadline for applications is 3 December 2025.

Further traits look for

• Alignment with Booking.com’s values (Customer First, Succeed Together, Own It, Learn Forever, Do the Right Thing).
• Curiosity, flexibility, and a creative, pragmatic approach to problem‑solving.
• Confidence with collaboration.
• Ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Proactivity, resilience, and a drive to deliver results.
• Strong judgment with attention to both the big picture and key details.
• Courage to take a stance and make tough decisions.
• Team‑oriented, self‑aware, and a good listener.
• Agility in prioritizing and meeting deadlines.
• Forward‑thinking, with a focus on emerging legal and policy issues.

Why join the Legal & Public Affairs Team now?

This is a pivotal moment in e‑commerce and travel, and joining Booking.com’s Legal & Public Affairs (LPA) team provides you with opportunities to shape the future. The LPA team plays a key role in enabling Booking.com to become a one‑stop solution for all travel‑related needs, from accommodation to rental cars, flights and attractions, and beyond. This offers travellers what we like to call the "connected trip" – enabling them to book every aspect of their travel experience seamlessly through our familiar, easy‑to‑use website or mobile app. As a member of the LPA team you will partner with the business to navigate complex regulations, build new products, and negotiate key deals—while driving ethical, sustainable growth.

Who we are?

We are an award‑winning team of around 200 professionals from 36+ nationalities, with lawyers qualified in multiple jurisdictions and non‑lawyers specialising in public policy, economics, compliance, and risk. We have been recognised and shortlisted individually and as a team by the Legal 500 GC Powerlist, Assoc. Of Corp Counsel, Global Competition Review, The Lawyer GC of the Year (shortlisted), Compliance Week and the Financial Times. We encourage active participation in the industry, with board membership and representation at industry bodies at multiple levels, starting with our Chief Legal & Public Affairs Officer, who is currently ACC President for Europe. We also engage with stakeholders on policy issues impacting travel and tech innovation, including through our new public affairs blog, A World Worth Experiencing.

As a team, we believe in:

• Being integral to decision‑making, shaping Booking.com’s future.
• Supporting Booking's mission to make travel accessible, fostering openness and curiosity.
• Offering opportunities for team members to explore new areas or specialise.
• Providing holistic, integrated legal and public affairs advice.
• Continuously improving Legal Operations, innovating, and sharing best practices.
• Learning from mistakes and embracing growth.
• Working collaboratively with a sense of humor and enjoying the journey together!

Benefits & Perks - Global Impact, Personal Relevance

Booking.com’s Total Rewards Philosophy is not only about compensation but also about benefits. We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, as well unique‑to‑Booking.com benefits which include:

• Annual paid time off and generous paid leave scheme including: parent, grandparent, bereavement, and care leave.
• Hybrid working including flexible working arrangements, and up to 20 days per year working from abroad (home country).
• Industry leading product discounts – up to 1400 per year – for yourself, including automatic Genius Level 3 status and Booking.com wallet credit.

Inclusion at Booking.com

Inclusion has been a core part of our company culture since day one. Ongoing journey starts with our very own employees, who represent over 140 nationalities and a wide range of ethnic and social backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations.

Take it from our Chief People Officer, Paulo Pisano: “At Booking.com, the diversity of our people doesn’t just build an outstanding workplace, it also creates a better and more inclusive travel experience for everyone. Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. It’s a place where you can make your mark and have a real impact in travel and tech.”

We ensure that colleagues with disabilities are provided the adjustments and tools they need to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

Application process

• Let’s go places together: How we Hire.
• Detailed instructions on post‑application requirements including any required application materials, deadlines, portfolios, coding challenges, or other assessments as defined by BU or department.

Booking.com is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We strive to move well beyond traditional equal opportunity and work to create an environment that allows everyone to thrive.

Pre‑Employment Screening

If your application is successful, your personal data may be used for a pre‑employment screening check by a third party as permitted by applicable law. Depending on the vacancy and applicable law, a pre‑employment screening may include employment history, education and other information (such as media information) that may be necessary for determining your qualifications and suitability for the position.

#J-18808-Ljbffr