Senior Public Affairs Manager – Payments & Financial Services

Job Title: Global Head of Public Affairs Engagement for Payments and Financial Services

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.

Payments and financial services regulation is undergoing fundamental transformation globally, reshaping how online platforms operate, move money, and serve customers. From PSD3 and open banking in Europe, to federal and state-level payments regulation in the US, to India's rapidly evolving digital payments ecosystem, the regulatory agenda is accelerating across every major market — and the business implications are significant.

This role leads group-wide public affairs engagement on payments and financial services policy globally. It will be responsible for monitoring the regulatory landscape across key jurisdictions, defining our policy positions, and - in close collaboration with regional Public Affairs teams - actively engaging with the institutions and bodies shaping the future of payments regulation. Stakeholders span a wide range — from the European Banking Authority (EBA), European Central Bank (ECB), and European Commission, to the US Treasury, Federal Reserve, and G20 working groups, FSB, and BIS.

Reporting to the Booking.com Director of Economic Policy & Strategic Engagement, the person will work closely across the BHI group with teams spanning Public Affairs, Legal, FinTech, Compliance, and Finance and will engage regularly with leadership on issues with material strategic and financial impact across multiple geographies.

Key Job Responsibilities and Duties:

Policy Intelligence & Analysis

• Monitor, analyze, and assess regulatory and legislative developments across payments and financial services, with a primary focus on the EU and a growing remit across the US, India, and other priority markets, by combining intelligence from internal and external sources into one global perspective
• Translate complex, multi-jurisdictional regulatory developments into clear, actionable intelligence for internal stakeholders across the business

Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy

• Build and maintain high-value relationships with key regulatory and policymaking institutions, including:

  • Europe: EBA, ECB, European Commission (DG FISMA), national central banks (e.g. DNB), and national financial supervisory authorities

  • United States: US Treasury, Federal Reserve, CFPB, and OCC

  • India: Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Ministry of Finance, and MeitY

  • Global: FSB, BIS and its Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI), FATF, and G20 working groups

• Develop and execute proactive advocacy strategies, representing BHI / BHFS / Booking.com in industry coalitions, regulatory consultations, and policy forums across jurisdictions
• Engage with regional PA and government affairs teams to ensure coherent, coordinated advocacy that reflects both local context and global strategic priorities

Internal Advisory & Cross-functional Partnership

• Serve as BHI's internal center of expertise on payments and financial services policy, providing strategic counsel to and coordinating with regional PA leads, Legal, Compliance, and Product teams
• Produce high-quality position papers, consultation responses, and briefing materials for both technical audiences (regulators, supervisors) and non-technical stakeholders (leadership, Board) internally and externally
• Represent BHI / BHFS / Booking.com in external meetings, regulatory hearings, and industry forums, coordinating with internal stakeholders
• Advise product, commercial, and compliance teams on the evolving regulatory environment across markets, ensuring that new products, payment flows, and market expansions are developed with a clear view of jurisdictional requirements

Proactively identify emerging regulatory risks and opportunities — including in digital wallets, open banking, CBDCs, cross-border payment reform, and real-time payments infrastructure — and develop forward-looking strategies to address them across geographies

Qualifications & Skills:

• Master's degree in Finance, Economics, Law, or a related field
• 8+ years of experience in payments and financial services policy and regulation — gained in a regulatory body, international organization, financial institution, platform company, trade association, or consultancy
• Deep familiarity with the payments and financial services regulatory landscape in key jurisdictions, such as the EU, US, UK, India, and Japan
• Direct experience engaging with financial regulators and policymakers — such as the EBA, ECB, Federal Reserve, CFPB, RBI, or equivalent bodies — and a demonstrated ability to influence regulatory outcomes
• Strong understanding of the payments value chain, digital financial services, and the policy and commercial implications of regulatory developments for platform businesses
• Experience advising senior management and cross-functional teams on complex, multi-jurisdictional regulatory issues
• Proven track record of developing advocacy strategies and producing high-quality policy content, including position papers, consultation responses, and regulatory briefings
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, multi-stakeholder environment with the ability to prioritize and manage competing demands across geographies
• Outstanding analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to distil complex regulatory developments into clear business implications
• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to write compellingly for both technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to build credibility and relationships with senior external stakeholders
• Fluent in English; additional languages relevant to key markets (Dutch, or others) considered an asset

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. 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