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 Senior Recruiter is part of the functional, regional and operational Talent Acquisition team and reports to the Global Recruitment Manager. Based in Manchester, this role is responsible for executing the talent acquisition strategy and delivering hiring results across aligned business functions.The role will also carry responsibility across multiple countries, requiring strong judgement, adaptability and the ability to operate effectively in diverse and complex hiring environments.
This role partners closely with the Global Recruitment Manager, senior business stakeholders and HR colleagues to deliver high-quality hiring outcomes, strong stakeholder alignment and timely communication throughout the recruitment process. The Senior Recruiter operates with a high degree of independence, sets priorities effectively and manages multiple searches and business needs simultaneously.
A key focus of the role is hiring for senior and specialist technical talent, particularly across software engineering and data-related disciplines and typically at career levels F, G and H. The successful person will bring strong technical recruiting capability, credibility with technical stakeholders and the ability to navigate complex talent markets across a broad range of engineering and data profiles.
The role also requires a modern, data-informed and technology-enabled approach to recruiting. This includes using AI confidently and responsibly to improve productivity, generate better market and talent insights, enhance candidate and stakeholder engagement, and reduce manual and administrative activity. As a senior member of the team, this person acts as a trusted partner, delivers with operational excellence, and serves as a role model within the Talent Acquisition function.
Key Job Responsibilities and Duties:
- Operates at a Senior level within the team, supporting the Global Recruitment Manager, understanding the direction of the business and executing functional and regional talent acquisition strategies across a diverse and complex hiring landscape, including larger-scope, cross-country and cross-functional delivery.
- Self-sufficient and able to work with little direct supervision.
- Demonstrates a strong track record of solving complex recruitment challenges, delivering significant impact as a Senior Recruiter, and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Brings strong technical recruiting capability, with the ability to hire across a broad range of software engineering and data-related roles, including but not limited to backend, frontend, mobile, platform, infrastructure, security, machine learning, data engineering, analytics and product data science profiles.
- Acts as a talent advisor by identifying appropriate stakeholders for hiring needs and providing outstanding guidance to hiring managers and interview teams to shape talent requirements that best match the needs of Booking.com and the external market.
- Demonstrates credibility and sound judgment when partnering with technical stakeholders, with the ability to understand role requirements, assess talent markets and support hiring processes for technical and data talent with confidence.
- Gather market data and talent landscape insights for Hiring Managers to support and influence hiring strategies and decision-making, and stay informed on market trends, competitor activity and recruiting practices, particularly across technical talent markets.
- Acts as a Brand Ambassador, builds talent networks and activates knowledgeable industry sources to develop and generate an ongoing pool of candidates through a diverse mix of channels.
- Delivers on the promise to recruit a diverse candidate pipeline and slate.
- Is proactive in achieving hiring targets through an effective, inclusive and high-quality selection process.
- Uses data to create, measure and scale smart recruiting tactics.
- Uses AI tools confidently and responsibly to support technical recruiting activity, improve insight generation, enhance candidate and stakeholder engagement, and minimise manual and administrative tasks wherever possible.
- Continuously identifies opportunities to automate, streamline and improve recruitment workflows through the effective use of AI and other recruiting technologies, while maintaining quality, compliance and a strong candidate experience.
- Manages the hiring process and a first-class candidate experience end-to-end, with support from coordinators and sourcers where applicable.
- Works closely with the business and HR colleagues throughout the search process, providing consistent communication and excellent service.
- Executes labour legislation and required changes to ensure compliance.
- Manages pre-closing and closing activities with candidates and hiring managers.
- Follows global guidelines to ensure consistency and alignment of all TA products, tools, services and initiatives.
- Provides feedback, suggestions and input to the Global Recruitment Manager to improve recruitment processes, effectiveness and adoption across the organisation.
- Continually develops domain knowledge of the business function.
- Handles multiple problems simultaneously with sound judgment.
Qualifications & Skills:
- Recruiting experience in fast-paced environments, ideally across technology, service and/or hospitality sectors.
- Demonstrated experience delivering both high-volume recruitment and specialist search work.
- Strong technical recruiting capability, with experience hiring across a range of software engineering and data-related roles.
- Experience recruiting senior and specialist talent, ideally at career levels F, G and H or equivalent.
- Credible and confident when partnering with technical stakeholders, with the ability to understand role requirements and navigate complex technical talent markets.
- Skilled negotiator with proven ability to manage pre-closing and closing conversations successfully.
- Passionate about Talent Acquisition and committed to delivering high-quality hiring outcomes.
- Solution-oriented, results-driven, proactive and flexible in approach.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage complex operational processes and multiple priorities effectively.
- Strong work ethic; self-directed, resourceful and able to work independently while also contributing effectively as part of a team.
- Excellent consulting and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to partner with and influence senior leaders and build meaningful relationships across a global organisation.
- Excellent communication skills, including fluent English and the ability to influence, advise and build strong relationships with candidates, hiring managers and cross-functional partners.
- Strong analytical capability, with the ability to use data to build a business case, identify insights and create, measure and scale effective recruiting workflows.
- Confident using AI and recruiting technology to improve productivity, generate insights, enhance engagement and minimise manual and administrative tasks.
- Strong track record of solving complex problems, designing creative strategies and delivering significant impact as a senior recruiter.
- Able to work well under pressure, adapt quickly to change and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Strong domain knowledge and expertise in search and talent acquisition.
- Experience working in a global environment, including across multiple countries and/or regions.
- Demonstrates personal accountability, sound judgment and integrity.
- Collaborative and team-oriented, with a strong focus on team spirit, partnership and knowledge sharing.
- Inquisitive and curious, with a strong desire to learn, improve existing processes and adopt better ways of working.
- Thoughtful and strategic, while remaining close to execution; anticipates roadblocks and proactively creates solutions to ensure success.
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.
