Role Description:
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.
Role: As Senior Legal Counsel for Accommodation Partners, you are a strategic business partner shaping commercial legal strategies for our global accommodation partnerships. You will work closely with the Accommodations Business Unit (ABU) and cross-functional legal teams to proactively identify, prioritize, and co-create solutions for commercial needs.
This is a hands-on, deeply embedded role. You will lead high-stakes negotiations, translate commercial priorities into actionable negotiation strategies, and balance speed, innovation, and risk. By developing scalable contracting frameworks, playbooks, and escalation paths, you will drive operational efficiency across the business.
Success requires excellent executive presence, the ability to synthesize complex input from diverse stakeholders into clear recommendations, and sound judgment under ambiguity. You will be instrumental in enabling Booking.com to secure strategic agreements that support long-term growth, operational resilience, and trusted partner relationships. This role is based in the Netherlands.
Key responsibilities:
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Partner with Accommodations teams, Product, Commercial Contracting and specialist Legal & Public Affairs teams to set negotiation strategy and deliver priority partner agreements. Present clear options, legal and commercial risk trade-offs, and recommended positions for material negotiations and escalations.
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Build and improve scalable contracting frameworks, playbooks, metrics, escalation paths and approval processes to increase speed, consistency and risk control in Accommodation Partner negotiations.
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Lead the drafting, review and negotiation of complex, high-value commercial agreements and amendments with strategic Accommodation Partners, ensuring alignment with business objectives, legal requirements and agreed risk appetite.
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Act as the primary legal advisor for Accommodation Partner contracting matters, coordinating input from privacy, competition, regulatory, FinTech, tax, compliance and regional counsel as needed.
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Monitor case law, legislative, and regulatory changes, translating them into actionable guidance and updated contract positions for the business.
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Monitor and translate relevant case law, legislative and regulatory developments into actionable contracting positions, partner-facing terms and business guidance.
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Oversee external counsel engagements to ensure advice is practical, cost-effective, and integrated into our commercial strategy.
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Promote knowledge-sharing and team development through training on negotiation playbooks, effective ways of working, and lessons learned.
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Drive continuous improvement of legal operations, focusing on efficient use of contracting technology, AI tools, and contract lifecycle management.
Key skills and experience:
Qualifications: Qualified to practice law in the EU, UK, or US; Dutch legal qualification is highly desirable.
Professional Expertise: 5-8 years of relevant experience in a reputable law firm or in-house legal department. Demonstrated experience in the accommodations sector, commercial contracting, and competition law is preferred.
Communication & Drafting: Excellent spoken and written English, with the ability to draft precise agreements, provide executive-level advice, and articulate clear negotiation positions.
Strategic & Operational Skills: Proven ability to manage multiple strategic matters simultaneously, prioritize under pressure, and deliver high-quality work. Skilled in project management and utilizing legal tech (e.g., Google Suite, Jira, AI tools).
Leadership & Mindset: Strong commercial acumen and ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority, balancing legal risk with business goals. Collaborative approach, adaptable, and comfortable operating with independence and sound judgment in ambiguous or fast-changing environments.
This role does not come with relocation
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 specializing 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 specialize.
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. 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:
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.
