Commercial Counsel

About us :Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG) is a global powerhouse in online travel, connecting millions of people with unforgettable experiences in over 220 countries and territories. With a market value of approximately $120 billion and a diverse portfolio of brands such as Booking.com, KAYAK, Priceline, Agoda.com and OpenTable, we’re committed to making it easier to explore everyone to experience the world. Booking Holdings Bangalore is a cutting-edge Center of Excellence in Bangalore, India and a key arm of Booking Holdings Inc. Top talent from diverse backgrounds converge here to develop innovative solutions that drive Booking Holdings' brands and business units forward. We offer a vibrant and inclusive workplace that fosters creativity, growth and opportunities to make a real difference on a global scale. Job Overview : The India COE is looking for a Commercial Counsel to join its Legal & Compliance Team and provide legal support in the review, drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts while driving process improvements and operational efficiency and working closely with business stakeholders across Booking Holdings and the Brand Legal teams and COE Business teams. This role will focus on streamlining commercial agreements to support COE's operations and incorporating privacy-related contractual requirements. The role will also support the delivery of legal and compliance training to new joiners from an India legal and regulatory perspective. Responsibilities : Legal Review, Negotiation & Contracting ● Independently manage, draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts for the Company with minimal supervision, taking ownership of matters from initiation through completion and ensuring compliance with applicable legal requirements and Company policies. ● Identify, assess and mitigate legal and contractual risks while balancing legal considerations with business objectives. ● Independently draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements, including vendor agreements, NDAs and other commercial arrangements, and support the Senior Legal Counsel with the drafting and review of lease deeds, employment contracts and other legal agreements, as required ● Review contracts to ensure compliance with applicable Indian laws and regulations and, where relevant, applicable international laws and requirements. ● Liaise with internal departments and external counsel to discuss and resolve complex legal and contractual matters Regulatory & Legal Advisory ● Draft and respond to legal notices and communications from regulatory authorities. ● Monitor and effectively communicate anticipated changes in Indian legislation and regulatory requirements that may impact the Company ● Provide legal and regulatory advice to internal stakeholders on matters relevant to the Company’s operations. ● Experience providing legal services in the technology, travel or consumer goods sectors is a plus. ● Undertake additional legal and regulatory projects, as required ● Working knowledge of privacy and data protection frameworks, with particular emphasis on Indian and EU regulations. ● Experience of reviewing data protection provisions in commercial contracts and providing practical guidance to business stakeholders. Legal Awareness Training ● Conduct onboarding and awareness sessions for new hires on key workplace requirements, Company policies and compliance expectations, including topics such as POSH ● Promote awareness of key legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the business through training and knowledge-sharing initiatives. ● Liaise with internal stakeholders to support legal awareness initiatives, as required Operational Efficiency & Legal Operations ● Design, optimize, and standardize contract templates, playbooks, review workflows, and other processes to improve the efficiency and consistency of legal support. ● Manage legal trackers, matter logs and other systems for monitoring contracts, legal requests, key deadlines and deliverables, and develop contract metrics, dashboards and data analytics to track contract volumes, turnaround times and other relevant performance indicators. ● Experience working with Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tools and other legal technology platforms to streamline and scale legal support. Qualifications & Skills : Law degree or equivalent from reputable law schoolBar admission or qualified legal counsel is preferredA minimum of 8–11 years of post-qualification legal experience, preferably including experience as in-house counsel at a multinational corporation. Law firm experience is an advantageCommunications & Organizational Skills - Fluency in English and ability to work and communicate directly in English - Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, with sound legal judgement. Strong writing and editing skills and solid organizational skillsAbility to work well with colleagues around the world and manage with ease both time-sensitive and long-term projectsThis is an independent contributor role with close working relationship with India and international counsels and functional teams therefore ability to work collaboratively with others from any functional area, background, or location to influence thinking, and gain acceptance is a must have quality in the candidate.Ability to comfortably work with both technical and non-technical audiences and to work with and through Other Skills :International experience: Self-awareness of communication style and cultural differences.Consultative style: Ability to formulate and articulate a perspective and present it in a manner that generates understanding and alignment.Self-motivated and capable of operating independently with limited oversight. Strong sense of personal accountability for work tasks.Comfortable acting in a role both as individual contributor and influencerComfort dealing with ambiguity and a fast-paced entrepreneurial environmentAssertive, intellectually curious and self-starter personality 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.