Operational Excellence Lead

Who you are

• Bachelor Degree or equivalent relevant experience
• 5+ years of professional experience, including a minimum of 2–3 years working within a legal environment in Legal Operations, Legal Technology, Legal Engineering, Legal Transformation, or a related operational role, gained within an in-house legal department, private practice, legal services provider and/or legal technology organisation
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification, or equivalent practical experience leading operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Six Sigma or comparable methodologies
• Strong process design, operational excellence and structured problem-solving capability
• Experience leading cross-functional operational improvement or transformation initiatives from scoping through implementation
• Experience applying Operational Excellence methodologies, including Lean Six Sigma or similar continuous improvement approaches
• Strong analytical capability, using qualitative and quantitative data to identify opportunities, develop business cases and support decision-making
• Experience implementing or optimising legal technology solutions, including Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), legal intake, matter management, workflow automation, knowledge management or similar platforms
• Strong understanding of legal operations and legal service delivery, with the ability to improve legal workflows through process redesign, technology and automation
• Practical understanding of emerging technologies, including Generative AI, and the ability to evaluate their application to improve legal workflows and operational effectiveness
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build alignment across managers, senior managers and directors
• Highly organised and able to manage multiple initiatives, competing priorities and ambiguity while delivering measurable business outcomes

What the job involves

• The Legal Strategy & Business Operations team enables the Legal & Public Affairs (LPA) function to operate effectively, efficiently and at scale
• We partner across LPA and the wider business to improve legal service delivery, simplify operations and support the successful implementation of strategic priorities through operational excellence, process improvement and technology-enabled transformation
• Role:The Operational Excellence Lead plays a key role in driving operational excellence and continuous improvement across the Legal & Public Affairs (LPA) function
• Reporting to the Director, Legal Strategy & Business Operations, the role will lead cross-functional operational improvement initiatives that enhance legal processes, operating models and ways of working
• Working closely with the LPA team and cross-functional stakeholders, the role will identify opportunities, design practical solutions and deliver measurable business improvements through process excellence, and legal technology
• The role independently leads initiatives from problem definition through implementation, helping Legal & Public Affairs operate more efficiently, scale effectively and continuously improve the way legal services are delivered
• Operational Excellence Methodology & Standards
• Apply Operational Excellence methodologies and structured problem-solving approaches to deliver measurable business improvements
• Translate Operational Excellence best practices into standardised processes, frameworks and operating procedures across Legal & Public Affairs
• Contribute to the continuous development of Operational Excellence practices by sharing knowledge, coaching colleagues and promoting best practices
• Process Excellence & Legal Transformation
• Lead high-impact, cross-functional operational improvement initiatives across Legal & Public Affairs
• Analyse current-state processes, identify optimisation opportunities and design scalable future-state solutions
• Develop business cases and recommendations to support prioritisation and decision-making
• Define success measures and monitor process performance to drive continuous improvement
• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardise, automate and optimise legal service delivery
• Technology-Enabled Improvement
• Partner with cross-functional teams to implement and optimise legal technology and workflow solutions
• Identify opportunities to improve legal workflows through technology, automation and emerging digital capabilities
• Support adoption of new tools and ways of working by embedding effective change management and user enablement
• Evaluate the effectiveness of implemented solutions and recommend further improvements
• Delivery & Performance
• Lead operational improvement initiatives from scoping through implementation and adoption
• Develop and manage delivery plans, milestones, risks, dependencies and success measures
• Gather and align business requirements across multiple stakeholders
• Measure and report outcomes using qualitative and quantitative data to support evidence-based decision-making
• Stakeholder Management
• Build trusted relationships across Legal & Public Affairs and partner functions
• Facilitate workshops and working sessions to align stakeholders, build consensus and resolve complex operational challenges
• Influence managers, senior managers and directors through compelling communication, practical recommendations and clear business cases
• Act as a liaison across functions to support successful delivery of operational improvements
• 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

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Free access to Headspace for you and your loved ones
• Global Employee Assistance Program
• Meditation and Breastfeeding rooms at the office
• Booking Cares - 2 days per year to volunteer and learn
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Pension plan
• Annual paid time off
• Parental leave - 22 weeks
• Grandparent leave - 10 days
• Care leave - 10 days
• Bereavement leave - up to 4 weeks
• Anniversary leave
• Working from Home Furniture and Ergonomic Support
• Working from Abroad - up to 20 days per year
• Discounts & Wallet credits to spend on our products
• Upgrade to Booking.com Genius Level 3
• Friends & Family Booking.com discount vouchers
• Free access to online learning platforms
• Development and mentorship programs to support career growth
• Access to trainings and workshops
• Team development opportunities
• Local discount programs
• Game rooms in offices
• On-site meals, coffee and snacks including vegan options