Manager People Operations - NL

About Us: 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.

Role Description:

The Regional Manager People Operations (NL) is responsible for leading the end-to-end People Operations strategy and service delivery for the company’s largest and most complex employee population.

The role translates global People strategy into high-quality, compliant, and employee-centric operations at Netherlands level, while ensuring alignment with global standards and adapting to headquarters-specific needs. The role leads operational excellence across the employee lifecycle, drives continuous improvement, and ensures delivery of reliable, scalable People services.

In addition, this role holds oversight of Talent Coordination (TC) services, ensuring effective operational partnership, performance governance, and long-term evolution of the Talent Coordination operating model in alignment with People Operations strategy.

Due to the scale and complexity of the headquarters population, significantly larger than other regions, this role operates with increased scope, stakeholder exposure, and operational impact.

You report to the Global Senior Manager People Operations.

Key Job Responsibilities and Duties:

People Operations Leadership

Define the Netherlands People Operations objectives, priorities, and roadmaps aligned with the wider People Ops and PST strategy.

Translate global frameworks into effective regional execution, tailored to headquarters needs

Represent People Operations in key regional and cross-functional initiatives

Own the senior People Operations lead for the Netherlands headquarters population

Service Delivery

Accountable for the team’s accurate, compliant, and timely personnel administration and payroll inputs

Own service delivery performance, including SLAs, KPIs, quality standards, and compliance

Drive continuous improvement of People Operations processes to enhance employee experience and operational efficiency

Accountable for monitoring data integrity and process adherence across People systems (e.g., Workday, ServiceNow)

Identify operational risks and implement mitigation plans

Review quarterly business reviews (QBRs), scorecards, and performance insights; challenge and endorse improvement actions

Ensure successful integration and maturity of Netherlands Ops team as part of the tiering model

Drive integration of knowledge management within the day to day operations

Talent Coordination Oversight

Accountable for overall Talent Coordination (TC) performance, service quality, and outcomes

Define success measures, reporting expectations, and performance governance for TC services

Review quarterly business reviews (QBRs), scorecards, and performance insights; challenge and endorse improvement actions

Make decisions impacting TC service levels, scope, prioritization, or investment

Own senior stakeholder relationships related to Talent Coordination services

Act as escalation point for high-risk issues and persistent performance challenges

Ensure onboarding effectiveness and readiness in partnership with TC, aligned with broader People Operations strategy

Own prioritization decisions where capacity, risk, or service constraints exist

Drive the evolution and long-term maturity of the Talent Coordination operating model in alignment with global direction

Team Leadership & Development

Lead, coach, and develop a team of People Operations Specialists and Senior Specialists

Conduct regular 1:1s focused on performance, engagement, and development

Own performance management processes, including bi-annual reviews and ongoing goal tracking

Allocate work and projects based on team capacity, strengths, and development goals

Foster a high-performance, service-oriented, and continuously improving team culture

Workforce & Capacity Management

Own Netherlands capacity planning and workforce forecasting across People Operations and Talent Coordination

Assess current and future workload trends to ensure appropriate resourcing levels

Make data-driven recommendations on internal FTE growth, reallocation, or role redesign

Evaluate and manage Netherlands contingent workforce strategy, including decisions to extend, convert, or roll off contingent workers

Balance service levels, budget constraints, and operational risk when making resourcing decisions

Partner with Finance and Global People leadership on headcount planning and budget alignment

Ensure optimal allocation of resources across peak periods and strategic initiatives

Compliance, Governance & Risk

Ensure regional compliance with Dutch labor law and internal policies

Oversee implementation and operationalization of company policies and procedures

Maintain audit readiness and documentation standards

Partner with key stakeholders such as Legal, Payroll, Comp & Ben on regulatory changes impacting People Operations

Process Improvement & Transformation

Drive capacity management for Netherlands team and assess con

Proactively identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, and automate processes

Lead or contribute to regional and global People Operations improvement initiatives

Use data and insights to drive operational decisions and resource planning

Support scaling of People Operations services in line with organizational growth

Stakeholder & Partnership Management

Build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders, including but not limited to Payroll, HR Advisory, Legal, and global People teams

Act as escalation point for high-risk issues and persistent performance challenges

Lead alignment conversations to ensure Netherlands needs are reflected in global process design

Qualifications & Skills:

5+ years of people leadership experience in an international HR or People Operations environment

Strong experience in People Operations service delivery, payroll processes, and HR systems (Workday experience strongly preferred)

Demonstrated experience leading process improvement and operational excellence initiatives

Experience managing complex stakeholder environments and senior business relationships

Solid knowledge of Dutch labor law and HR compliance requirements

Experience working with outsourced or centralized service models (e.g., Talent Coordination, shared services, or RPO-style environments) is a strong plus

Proven ability to manage performance through KPIs, SLAs, and service metrics

Strong coaching and people development skills

Comfortable operating in a fast-changing, scaling organization

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-informed mindset

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Project and change management experience

Fluent in English (written and spoken); additional languages are a plus

Benefits & Perks - Global Impact, Personal Relevance:

Booking.com’s Total Rewards Philosophy is not only about compensation but also about benefits. We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package, as well unique-to-Booking.com benefits which include:

Annual paid time off and generous paid leave scheme including: parent, grandparent, bereavement, and care leave

Hybrid working including flexible working arrangements, and up to 20 days per year working from abroad (home country)

Industry leading product discounts - up to 1400 per year - for yourself, including automatic Genius Level 3 status and Booking.com wallet credit

Inclusion at Booking.com:

Inclusion has been a core part of our company culture since day one. This ongoing journey starts with our very own employees, who represent over 140 nationalities and a wide range of ethnic and social backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations.

Take it from our Chief People Officer, Paulo Pisano: “At Booking.com, the diversity of our people doesn’t just build an outstanding workplace, it also creates a better and more inclusive travel experience for everyone. Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. It’s a place where you can make your mark and have a real impact in travel and tech.”

We ensure that colleagues with disabilities are provided the adjustments and tools they need to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

Application Process:

Let’s go places together: How we Hire

This role does not come with relocation assistance.

Booking.com is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We strive to move well beyond traditional equal opportunity and work to create an environment that allows everyone to thrive.

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.