Senior Payments Legal & Regulatory Counsel BHFS

Job Summary BKNG Fintech Legal, is looking for a senior attorney with experience in leading and executing payments strategies to act as a critical partner to our business, helping develop, launch, and enable our mission to deliver a world‑class payments operation to support Booking Holdings Inc’s brands globally. The selected candidate will have the chance to witness first‑hand the investment in digital technology that helps take the friction out of travel. As you do so, you will advise on a range of legal questions related to regulatory strategy, product development and user experience, demonstrating familiarity with global payments regulatory contexts and payments industry commercial considerations that enable product management at this scale, and define the booking experience for the future of the company. The role demands a product‑savvy, technically competent payments lawyer, potentially with deep experience in relevant areas of financial regulation. This opportunity represents an exceptional chance to embed yourself with one of the world’s most exciting organisations and help define the future for accessing travel experiences across the world.

Key Responsibilities

• Report directly to the Senior Director Legal, BHFS and primarily responsible for supporting regulatory legal matters related to payments and financial services in the US and Americas region, advising on licensing, money transmission, BSA compliance and related matters.
• Act as a key member of the BHFS US management team and act as a trusted advisor in shaping strategy and decisions.
• Work cross‑functionally on a daily basis with the BHFS US Managing Director, technology, risk, compliance and finance teams and other stakeholders across the business.
• Interact with broader senior management within BHFS and at BKNG Fintech Legal, as well as members of the Booking Holdings Global Legal Department across our subsidiary brands.
• Actively manage outside counsel to obtain clear and tailored advice on payments‑related regulatory initiatives and products.
• Work closely with the public affairs team on matters that will impact payments and financial services regulation.
• Identify, monitor and advise on emerging payments and financial services regulatory issues impacting the BHFS business in the US region, actively identifying and anticipating changes that may affect strategic objectives, and be a thought leader on these issues.
• Provide timely, practical and actionable legal advice on a variety of regulated financial and payments products and services and exercise legal judgment and commercial acumen in assessing legal risks in the US.
• Help develop a comprehensive, long‑term approach to our relationships with key partners on all aspects of our payments operations in the US.

Knowledge and Skills

• 8+ years of relevant experience practicing law, with a mix of in‑house and reputable law firm experience preferred.
• Law degree from a top‑tier law school, and excellent academic credentials.
• Significant experience and demonstrated success advising on regulatory matters in financial services or payments, with strong knowledge of, the laws and regulations that regulate a money services business and entities with money transmission licenses (MTL), or similar payments or financial services regulatory experience advising regulated entities,
• Experience with and passion for payments and its regulation, data privacy, security, consumer protection issues in the digital environment, platform liability, marketing and advertising law, and information policy.
• Broad experience dealing with government agencies and regulators, specifically state MTL regulators, FinCen and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, including handling regulatory submissions, filings.
• Ideally experience includes direct engagement with state or federal regulators.
• A strong understanding of the broader US regulatory environment and familiarity with US legislation and experience of advising on cross‑border and multi‑jurisdictional (state and international) regulatory issues.
• Understanding of legal principles applicable to payments, including the payments ecosystem (e.g., the role of acquiring and issuing banks, card networks, payment processors, gateways, risk vendors, etc.), regulatory implications (e.g., stored value, money transmission and other payments) and consumer protection laws.
• Experience in advising on all aspects of payments, new product development and product delivery channels and working closely with product designers, engineers, and product management.
• Experience dealing with major payment networks is desirable.
• Excellent business judgment, communication and interpersonal skills along with a demonstrated ability to collaborate successfully with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a global team environment as well as on own initiative.
• Positive attitude, high level of integrity and intellectual curiosity.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating and structuring international commercial transactions with a wide range of counterparties, cultures and working styles.
• Ability to tolerate change and ambiguity.
• Creative thinker with strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment, handle multiple assignments simultaneously and effectively manage conflicting priorities.
• Excellent writing, communication, verbal and written, and organizational skills.
• Eager to learn new technologies and ideas.
• Comfortable navigating complicated and nuanced issues.
• Previous experience of working within a technology and digital legal environment is desirable.
• Should be willing to travel.
• Bar admission in good standing in a US state.
• Preference is admitted in New York or eligible to be registered as an in‑house attorney in New York (allowed for attorneys admitted in some states).

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Through the Booking Holdings brands, we help our customers reach all corners of the earth. Our ability to provide great service rests on how well we understand our diverse customer base, which is why having a diverse team is so important to us. We bring together employees from all walks of life and we are proud to provide the kind of inclusive environment that stimulates innovation, creativity and collaboration.

Compensation & Benefits

There are a variety of job related factors that go into determining a salary range, including but not limited to external market benchmark data, geographic location, and years of experience sought/required.

In addition to a competitive base salary, roles are eligible to be considered for an annual bonus and equity grant.

The base salary range for Connecticut and the NYC‑metro area is $224,600-$274,600.

We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits program designed to keep you and your family healthy, plan for the future and make the most out of life.

• tuition reimbursement
• fitness reimbursement
• discounts

EEO Statement

Booking Holdings is an equal opportunity employer in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws. We ensure equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants without discrimination or harassment based on race, religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition, disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law.

Booking Holdings also extends this policy to every phase of the employment process including, but not limited to, recruitment, selection, placement, transfer, training and development, position elimination, restructure, promotion, compensation, benefits, layoffs, termination and all other conditions or privileges of employment.

Booking Holdings and its Affiliated Companies are Equal Employment Opportunity employers and welcome all job seekers including individuals with disabilities and veterans with disabilities.

If you have a disability and believe you need reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or apply for a position, please email View email address on click.appcast.io with your request.

M/F/V/D/S #LI-Hybrid.

Booking Holdings is consistently recognized by industry leaders for innovation, growth and leadership. We are honored to have received the following accolades: Forbes World's Best Employers Fortune World's Most Admired Companies Forbes Most Innovative Companies Fortune Future 50 Forbes Best Employers for Women Forbes Best Employers for Diversity Forbes Best Employers for New Grads Forbes Digital 100.