UX Writing Manager

About Us:

At Booking.com, data drives decisions. Technology is at our core. And innovation is everywhere. But the company is more than datasets, lines of code, or A/B tests. It’s 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 products, partners, and people, Booking.com makes it easier for everyone to experience the world.

Team Description:

We’re looking for a UX Writing Manager to join our UX Writing and Content Design organisation. Across Booking.com, we’re a close-knit community of more than 70 writers. This opening is in our Marketplace department, where our ambition is to create seamless and connected experiences that anticipate user needs and delight our customers. You will be directly responsible for managing UX Writers located in both Amsterdam and Shanghai. This team's remit is broad and high-impact – covering a variety of topics from our Genius loyalty programme to post-booking and trip management experiences, as well as improving the technology used daily by our partners.

Role Description:

As a UX Writing Manager, you will influence long-term organisational content strategies and priorities, setting the direction for a team of UX Writers. You are a leader deeply committed to the career development of your team, guiding them to achieve significant impact by fostering effective working conditions and actively developing their talent. Your role is not just about management. It's about serving as a role model, leading on key topics, and driving improvements in performance, processes and craft quality. You will balance business needs with the needs of your reports, ensuring strategic alignment and creating an environment of clarity and growth.

Key Job Responsibilities and Duties:

Leadership and Guidance

• Manage, lead, and influence a team of UX Writers, practising servant and situational leadership to mentor and coach them effectively.
• Help shape the structure of the UX Writing organisation to ensure effective operations, resourcing, and skills-based assignments.
• Actively build processes for effective collaboration between UX Writers, product teams, and other roles, ensuring workloads are balanced.
• Share knowledge and expertise beyond your immediate team by sharing learnings or contributing to craft working groups.

Content Strategy

• Support the overall content and product strategy for your area, aligned with the product vision.
• Serve as an advocate and spokesperson for your department's strategy, connecting the dots and creating alignment across different groups.
• Proactively partner with stakeholders to define where to invest content strategy efforts and how to prioritise your team's work.
• Mentor others on how to contribute more strategically to their areas.

Craft Quality and Delivery

• Oversee and drive the vision for complex products and features, aligning UX writing approaches across your area.
• Work with senior and lead writers to unify deliverables through planning, feedback, critique and coaching.
• Evaluate your team's process and craft quality, empowering them to elevate their work through learning opportunities.
• Understand and negotiate the right balance between quality and velocity to make tradeoffs on craft quality, business or technical priorities.
• Act as the first point of contact for stakeholders on writing implementation and delivery challenges within your department.
• Demonstrate an understanding of localisation and translation solutions. Own and manage translation quality and bug resolution for your team, providing guidance and troubleshooting complex issues when necessary.

Stakeholder Management and Communication

• Frequently collaborate with peers and stakeholders to address conflicting views, share knowledge, and reach agreements that benefit the team and user.
• Manage stakeholder expectations up to a Senior Director level, adapting your communication style to different needs and providing clear progress updates.
• Represent the work of your team in an engaging and convincing way, anticipating feedback and preparing alternative plans.
• Clearly articulate complex and ambiguous problems and opportunities, creating a compelling narrative for stakeholders.

User Needs and Data

• Use your understanding of department-level objectives and user research to help your team prioritise and solve the most critical user needs.
• Actively advocate for user needs and promote inclusive practices to influence decision-making.
• Stay informed on how to use data responsibly, leveraging insights and feedback to inform product strategy.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5-8 years of relevant experience in UX Writing / Content Design, including a proven track record of successfully managing or mentoring writers
• Expertise in leadership and guidance, with experience as a hiring manager and in shaping team structures
• Expertise in managing challenging stakeholders and their expectations across different disciplines, up to a senior leadership level
• An expert understanding of the writing and delivery process, including how to balance quality and velocity and leverage content management tools
• Ability to influence long-term organisational strategy and create alignment across groups
• Strong storytelling and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex problems and create a compelling narrative for stakeholders
• Nice to have: Conversational Chinese for office communication
• Portfolio demonstrating individual contributor and managerial experience

Benefits & Perks – Global Impact, Personal Relevance:

Booking.com’s Total Rewards Philosophy goes beyond compensation to include unique benefits:

• Annual paid time off and generous paid leave, including parental, grandparent, bereavement, and care leave
• Hybrid working with flexible arrangements and up to 20 days per year working from abroad (home country)
• Amsterdam HQ with on-site meals, coffee, snacks, and multi-faith & breastfeeding rooms
• Commuting allowance and bike reimbursement scheme
• Product discounts including Genius Level 3 status and Booking.com wallet credit
• Access to online learning platforms, mentorship programs, and professional development resources
• Global Employee Assistance Program and free Headspace membership

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.