Senior Legal Counsel, Accommodation Partners

Role Description

At Booking.com, data drives decisions, technology is at the core, and innovation is everywhere. As Senior Legal Counsel for Accommodation Partners, you are a strategic business partner shaping commercial legal strategies for 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.

Key responsibilities

• 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.
• Build and improve scalable contracting frameworks, playbooks, metrics, escalation paths and approval processes to increase speed, consistency and risk control in Accommodation Partner negotiations.
• 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.
• 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.
• Monitor case law, legislative and regulatory changes, translating them into actionable guidance, updated contract positions, partner-facing terms and business guidance.
• Oversee external counsel engagements to ensure advice is practical, cost-effective, and integrated into the commercial strategy.
• Promote knowledge-sharing and team development through training on negotiation playbooks, effective ways of working, and lessons learned.
• Drive continuous improvement of legal operations, focusing on efficient use of contracting technology, AI tools, and contract lifecycle management.

Key skills and experience

• Qualified to practice law in the EU, UK, or US; Dutch legal qualification is highly desirable.
• 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.
• Excellent spoken and written English, with the ability to draft precise agreements, provide executive-level advice, and articulate clear negotiation positions.
• Proven ability to manage multiple strategic matters simultaneously, prioritize under pressure, and deliver high-quality work.
• Skilled in project management and utilizing legal tech such as Google Suite, Jira, and AI tools.
• 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.

Further traits looked 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 team provides opportunities to shape the future. The team plays a key role in enabling Booking.com to become a one-stop solution for travel-related needs, from accommodation to rental cars, flights and attractions. As a member of the 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 encourage active participation in the industry and engage with stakeholders on policy issues impacting travel and tech innovation.

As a team, we believe in

• Being integral to decision-making and shaping Booking.com’s future.
• Supporting the 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

• 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.