Director Commercial Partner Compliance

About the Accommodations Business Unit

Booking.com’s Accommodations Business Unit (ABU) is responsible for the end-to-end performance of the accommodations vertical, driving growth by developing, building, and operating products and services for travelers and accommodation partners worldwide. ABU brings together Product, Tech & Data, Local Partner Services, and Commercial Growth & Operations (CoGO) to deliver a seamless experience across the full customer and partner journey, from search and booking to stay and post-trip.

Within Booking.com’s Accommodations Business Unit (ABU), the Commercial Growth & Operations (CoGO) team acts as the central commercial engine for the business. CoGO defines and steers commercial strategy across partner and traveler segments and connects stakeholder teams to drive coherent, data-driven growth plans and consistent execution across drivers and regions.

About the Role

The Director Commercial Partner Compliance reports to the VP Commercial Growth & Operations and is responsible for ensuring Booking.com’s global partner base of more than 2 million partners remains compliant in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

This role oversees the Partner Process and Regulatory Go-To-Market domains, leading a team of 20+ FTEs focused on turning complex legal mandates into a seamless experience for partners, while owning execution for pivotal regulatory compliance programs within the Accommodations business.

The core mission is to shift compliance from a reactive, manual triage state to a commercial-led, proactive and seamless experience and value proposition.

You will ensure the partner base is compliant in time for key regulations such as DSA, DAC7, Short-Term Rental Licensing, and Tax, while also leading the Partner Onboarding pillar for the BHFS program across the company as the single-threaded owner.

By leveraging deep cross-functional collaboration, you will position compliance as a force for good, building partner trust and helping Booking.com remain a sustainable and preferred marketplace for travelers and partners.

Role Description

Key responsibilities

1. Regulatory GTM & Strategic Execution

• Define and execute global strategies and plans to ensure 99% of the partner base meets critical deadlines for DSA, DAC7, STR, and Tax regulations.
• Design and execute go-to-market strategy for new regulations, translating legal complexity into simple, actionable steps for internal teams and partners.
• Ensure GTM channels are equipped with the right messaging and tools to support partners through regulatory transitions.
• Own the global Partner Onboarding program for BHFS, ensuring that all partners where payments are processed in the EEA are onboarded before the end of 2027.

2. Partner Process Optimization & Lifecycle Management

• Lead the team responsible for end-to-end partner process design, focused on the partner experience of the future.
• Ensure clear governance and lead improvements of key partner processes such as KYP onboarding, suspensions, off-boarding, and ownership changes.
• Own the partner status landscape, ensuring partners are in the right status for internal control purposes and partner experience.
• Develop and continuously execute an approach that helps partners move through the compliance funnel when stuck.

3. Proactive Compliance & Strategic Advocacy

• Lead the transition from manual, reactive enforcement to a data-driven, proactive approach that identifies and solves compliance risks before they impact the partner.
• Define, drive awareness and buy-in for, and execute the long-term vision and strategy for STR regulatory compliance and similarly complex regulatory topics.
• Champion the narrative that compliance protects the marketplace and provides competitive advantage.
• Act as the primary link between Legal, PR, Public Affairs, and Local Leadership to align on regulatory impacts and advocate for the partner experience at senior levels.

4. Pro-active Steering & Performance Management

• Ensure a performance cadence is in place with the right stakeholders to provide understanding of partner compliance, NSC at risk, and associated reputational risk for leadership decision-making.
• Define and monitor KPIs for regulatory adoption, partner sentiment during compliance journeys, and process efficiency.
• Establish feedback loops from local markets to ensure central processes are adaptable to regional regulatory nuances.

5. Team Leadership & Operational Excellence

• Lead and develop a cross-functional team of 20+ FTEs, fostering expertise in process design, project management, and regulatory strategy.
• Directly manage a team of 6, including 1 Senior Manager Regulatory GTM, 4 Process Owners, and 1 manager design and execution.
• Serve as a core member of the Commercial Growth & Operations Leadership Team, leading initiatives that improve ways of operating, drive engagement across the department, support delivery of organizational objectives, and contribute to longer-term commercial growth strategy.

Key Skills

Requirements of special knowledge/skills

• 12+ years of experience in Regulatory Operations, GTM Strategy, or Commercial Compliance in a global, fast-paced technology or FinTech environment.
• Proven experience leading teams of 20+ people and influencing senior leadership across a complex matrix organization.
• Deep understanding of digital marketplace regulations including DSA, DAC7, and STR, as well as financial onboarding such as KYC/KYP within BHFS or similar frameworks.
• Proven ability to move an organization from reactive fire-fighting to long-term, proactive strategy.
• Expert-level knowledge of process mapping, automation, and product-led operational design.
• Exceptional skill in navigating high-stakes conversations with Legal, PR, and Public Affairs while maintaining a commercial and partner-centric lens.

Leadership & Impact

• Act as a key advisor to executive leadership on the health and efficiency of partner-facing operations, including enablement of regional leadership and stakeholders such as CS and Finance leadership.
• Serve as the primary architect for the 3+ year LPS transformation roadmap.