Role Description:
Business Operations at Booking.com bridges strategy and execution, ensuring the organization can effectively translate priorities into outcomes. Through planning, operational governance, performance monitoring, and cross-functional coordination, we drive alignment, operational readiness, and execution excellence—helping Booking.com deliver on its Mission, Vision, and Strategy with the customer at the center.
The Chief Business Officer (CBO) Office is responsible for leading business planning and operations, program management and change management for Booking.com. The CBO Office reports to Booking's Chief Business Officer and works directly with the most senior leadership across the organization, including Department LT's and corporate functions (HR/People, Finance, Legal, and Global Strategy & Development), to enable Booking.com to achieve its strategic and operational goals.
The Senior Business Operations Manager serves as a strategic and hands-on operating partner to (also reporting into) the Director of Business Operations, in the CBO Office. In this high-impact role, you act as the "connective tissue" between strategy and execution for Booking.com — ensuring the company operates efficiently, scales effectively, and makes decisions grounded in data. You are responsible for shaping, building and scaling key elements of the enterprise operating system, orchestrating the translation of strategy into execution so both remain tightly aligned. The role requires strong versatility, contributing across a wide range of initiatives and adding value wherever it is most needed.
Key Responsibilities
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Operational Planning & Execution: Lead the design, execution, and continuous improvement of the quarterly (rolling) planning cycle, making it more user-friendly and reducing annual planning peak activities. Engage both leadership and operational teams to validate feasibility and ensure ground-level buy-in to maintain ongoing organizational re-calibration.
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Rhythm of Business (RoB): Design, support, and continuously improve (parts of) the Enterprise Operating System and RoB frameworks (e.g. annual/quarterly planning, OKRs, business reviews, portfolio reviews). Ensure these cadences translate high-level strategic intent into prioritized portfolios of work, concrete plans, and milestones. Facilitate alignment, dependency management, trade-off discussions, and execution tracking in close collaboration with senior leadership and operational teams on the ground to drive execution velocity, agility, and predictability across the organization.
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Data-Driven Insights & Performance Monitoring: Synthesize qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights and executive-ready materials (dashboards, presentations, and reviews) to support leadership decision-making. Proactively monitor operational realities to surface risks and opportunities, providing data-backed recommendations for timely course correction.
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Cross-Functional Leadership & Initiatives: Act as a central connector across internal teams and departments (e.g., Product, Strategy, Finance, HR) to align and translate (strategic) priorities into actionable work. Lead and deliver high-visibility, cross-functional initiatives end-to-end—from scoping and stakeholder alignment to execution and impact measurement—ensuring blockers are resolved and intended outcomes are achieved.
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Process Improvements: Partners with senior leadership and operational teams to scope internal improvement opportunities, pressure-test proposed approaches against on-the-ground realities, and support trade-off discussions, in order to ensure internal decisions are both strategically sound and practically executable.
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Leadership Support & Governance: Prepares, facilitates, and follows up on internal leadership forums, offsites, and strategic reviews as needed — ensuring outcomes, owners, and timelines are clearly defined and cascaded to operational teams — in order to close the loop between strategic discussion and ground-level execution.
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Craft Maturity: Actively contributes to advancing the Business Operations craft at Booking.com by bringing in and applying external best practices and expertise to strengthen the function.
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Resource Planning: May partner with Finance and HR to manage headcount tracking, workforce planning, and budget allocation across the CBO scope to ensure resource decisions are sound, variances are flagged early, and corrective actions are taken promptly.
Note: This role does not have ownership of Booking.com strategic direction or priority-setting, and does not define, manage or report on P&Ls or company-level strategy. But you may have the opportunity to influence how strategy is translated, structured, and executed, which can shape outcomes. It is also not a traditional operations role solely focused on driving measurable efficiencies in company-wide systems/workflows or in volume-based functions (e.g., customer service).
Level of Education & Job Knowledge
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Bachelor degree required
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Master degree (preferred) in Business or a related field.
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Extensive Knowledge (8 - 12 years):
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8-12+ years of experience in strategy, business operations, strategic program management, or a similar strategic/operational function at a fast-paced, complex organization. (Note: Solid experience working and executing initiatives within a company; consultancy experience only will not be considered).
Special Knowledge/Skills
Required:
Enterprise Planning: In-depth experience leading financial, strategic, and operational planning processes across large programs, business units/functions, and corporate functions.
Strategic (Lean) Portfolio Management: Experience prioritizing and governing portfolios of strategic initiatives, enabling investment decisions, dependencies, risks, and execution against business outcomes.
Domain Expertise: Experience working with digital customer-facing cross-functional (especially product and development) teams and lifecycles focused on delivering customer outcomes.
Strategic Problem Solving: Ability to think strategically and connect dots where others have a limited view. Able to break down highly complex problems into actionable solutions, drive recommendations, and follow up.
Financial & Analytical Acumen: Financial knowledge (e.g., how to read a P&L) and ability to understand key business drivers. Solid data and insights analytical skills (both quantitative and qualitative).
Cross-Company Governance: Proven track record of designing and managing large-scale, cross-functional programs, processes, and operating rhythms (MBRs/QBRs, OKRs, governance).
Change Management & Communication: Exemplary communication skills with an "embracing change/growth" mindset. Ability to explicitly communicate why, what, how, when, and whom a change impacts. High bar of excellence in producing leadership-ready presentation materials.
Leadership & Influence: Strong leadership skills, with the ability to influence and steer VP/SVP stakeholders, and build lasting relationships across the organization.
Process, Project & Program Management: Experience designing and delivering complex cross-functional processes, projects and programs, establishing clear governance, managing dependencies and risks, and driving successful execution at scale.
Technology & Tools: Experience with AI and work management/planning tools (e.g., Jira/Atlassian suite), coupled with a passion for leveraging technology to improve planning, execution, and business outcomes.
Preferred:
Experience in a B2C technology, platform, or marketplace company.
Familiarity with enterprise financial planning tools and business intelligence platforms (e.g., Tableau, Anaplan).
Fluency in SQL or experience working closely with data/analytics teams.
Prior experience in a Chief of Staff, Business Operations, or Strategy & Operations capacity within a large, global organization.
Your Traits
Independently manages multiple complex projects/programs from start to finish, with deadlines.
Structured and strategic thinker who thrives in complexity and ambiguity.
Obsessively data-driven; you balance qualitative insights while trusting numbers over opinions.
Energized by technology and AI—actively explores how emerging tools can make the business smarter, faster, and more effective.
A natural connector who brings the right people together.
High bar of excellence, and equally at home in the big picture and the details (strategically minded, yet execution-focused).
Calm and resilient under pressure, able to manage competing priorities and adapt quickly in fast-moving environments.
A clear and persuasive communicator who presents with impact and adapts style effectively to suit any audience.
Your Operating Style
Simplifier: You simplify the complex and make the implicit explicit.
Influencer: You have the ability to lead through influence, effectively aligning stakeholders at all levels (including VPs/SVPs), even in the face of competing priorities.
Biased for Action: You are biased toward action but measured in judgment. Possesses the intellectual curiosity of a consultant and the grit of an operator.
Trusted Partner: You build trust quickly, maintain it over time, and default to collaboration rather than silos.
Highly Organized: You make sure all processes/projects/programs run smoothly and reliably, designing effective tools and resources to drive optimization and meet internal partners' expectations.
Location: The candidate for this role has to be based in The Netherlands (or be willing to relocate). This is a 40 hours/week hybrid role with an expectation of being (at least) 40% of your time in-office in Amsterdam.
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 https://careers.booking.com/benefits/, 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. This 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:
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.
