Director of Compliance

The Director of Compliance will lead the organization's compliance program across the full spectrum of U.S. federal, state, and local travel-industry regulations, while also monitoring, interpreting, and implementing international regulatory requirements across the EU, UK, Canada, Mexico, and other markets the company serves. This role is critical to ensuring the company's booking, ticketing, payment, accessibility, and consumer-protection practices meet legal requirements across every jurisdiction in which it sells or delivers travel services. The role reports to the Chief Legal Officer, with a dotted-line relationship to the Global President to ensure compliance priorities are closely aligned with global business operations and strategy.

Key Responsibilities

U.S. Federal Compliance

• Monitor and ensure compliance with DOT (Department of Transportation) regulations, including airline consumer protection rules, tarmac delay rules, and full-fare advertising requirements
• Ensure adherence to FTC regulations on advertising, pricing disclosure, and unfair/deceptive trade practices in travel marketing
• Maintain compliance with ADA requirements, including website/digital accessibility (WCAG) and accommodations for travelers with disabilities
• Oversee compliance with TSA Secure Flight and related passenger data/security requirements
• Monitor compliance with payment-related federal requirements (e.g., Fair Credit Billing Act, EFTA) as applied to bookings, deposits, and refunds

U.S. State & Local Compliance

• Manage compliance with state Seller of Travel laws (e.g., California, Florida, Hawaii, Washington) including registration, bonding, trust account, and disclosure requirements
• Track state-level consumer protection and cancellation/refund disclosure laws affecting travel packages, tours, and vacation rentals
• Monitor state data privacy laws (e.g., CCPA/CPRA and other state privacy statutes) as applied to guest and traveler data
• Maintain state-specific licensing for travel agencies, tour operators, or transportation services as applicable
• Maintain a compliance calendar tracking state registration renewals, bonding requirements, and filing deadlines

International Regulatory Compliance

• EU: Monitor and implement compliance with the EU Package Travel Directive, GDPR (traveler/guest data, cross-border transfers), EU Air Passenger Rights (EC 261/2004), and applicable consumer protection directives
• UK: Ensure compliance with ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licensing) requirements, UK Package Travel Regulations, UK GDPR/Data Protection Act, and ABTA code of conduct where applicable
• Canada: Monitor compliance with Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), provincial travel industry acts (e.g., Ontario TICO, Quebec), and PIPEDA for traveler data
• Mexico: Track compliance with Mexican tourism law (Ley General de Turismo), consumer protection requirements (PROFECO), and the Federal Law on Protection of Personal Data
• Monitor emerging international travel regulations (e.g., entry/exit systems, API/PNR data-sharing requirements, evolving EU/UK border tech mandates) and assess business impact
• Partner with local counsel/regulatory advisors in each region to validate interpretations and ensure accurate implementation
• Manage cross-border data transfer compliance (traveler PII, payment data) between the U.S. and international markets

Industry-Specific Compliance Areas

• Oversee compliance with IATA, ARC, and airline/supplier contractual and regulatory requirements
• Manage compliance related to travel insurance disclosures and requirements by state/country
• Ensure PCI-DSS compliance for payment processing across all booking channels
• Oversee compliance with accessibility requirements across web, mobile booking platforms, and physical accommodations (ADA, EU Accessibility Act, UK equivalent)
• Monitor compliance related to vacation rental/short-term rental regulations in applicable jurisdictions
• Track evolving requirements around AI use in pricing, chatbots, and personalization (e.g., EU AI Act applicability)

Program Development & Implementation

• Build and maintain a scalable compliance framework accommodating multi-state and multi-country travel regulatory requirements
• Draft and implement policies/procedures for booking terms, cancellation/refund policies, disclosures, and traveler data handling
• Establish a compliance risk matrix mapping regulatory obligations by jurisdiction and business line (air, hotel, package tours, cruise, car rental, etc.)
• Implement monitoring controls to catch regulatory violations in marketing, pricing, and booking flows before they reach consumers

Training & Communication

• Develop and deliver training for reservations, marketing, customer service, and product teams on U.S. and international travel compliance requirements
• Advise executive leadership on regulatory changes affecting new market entry, new product launches (e.g., new package types, new destinations), or platform changes
• Serve as internal subject matter expert for Legal, Marketing, IT, Customer Service, and Finance teams

Auditing, Monitoring & Reporting

• Conduct periodic internal audits of booking systems, disclosures, refund practices, and data handling for regulatory compliance
• Prepare and present compliance reports and risk assessments to the Chief Legal Officer, Global President, and/or the Board of Directors
• Manage responses to regulatory inquiries, consumer complaints escalated by regulators, and audits from state Attorneys General, DOT, or foreign regulators
• Oversee remediation plans for compliance gaps, including corrective actions tied to bonding, licensing, or consumer protection findings

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with Legal, Data Privacy, IT Security, Marketing, and Product teams to embed compliance into new products and campaigns
• Manage relationships with outside counsel and regulatory consultants across all applicable countries
• Support due diligence for new supplier relationships, market expansion, and M&A activity from a regulatory perspective
• Partner closely with the Global President's leadership team to ensure compliance priorities are integrated into global business planning and market strategy

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required; JD, advanced degree, or compliance certification (e.g., CCEP, CIPP/E, CIPP/US) strongly preferred
• 8+ years of progressive compliance experience, ideally within travel, hospitality, airline, or e-commerce industries
• Demonstrated experience with state Seller of Travel laws, DOT regulations, and/or international travel/consumer protection frameworks
• Experience with GDPR, UK GDPR, PIPEDA, and/or Mexican data protection law strongly preferred

Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of U.S. travel industry regulatory structures (federal, state, local)
• Working knowledge of EU, UK, Canadian, and Mexican travel and data privacy regulations
• Ability to interpret complex regulatory text and translate it into booking flow, policy, and disclosure requirements
• Experience with PCI-DSS, accessibility standards (ADA/WCAG), and airline/travel distribution rules (IATA/ARC) a plus
• Excellent communication skills, with experience presenting to executive leadership, including C-suite and global business leaders
• Ability to manage multiple jurisdictions and a fast-changing regulatory landscape

Preferred

• Experience with online travel agencies (OTAs), tour operators, airlines, or hospitality companies
• Multilingual capability (Spanish, French) a plus
• Familiarity with GRC/compliance management platforms and travel