Senior Regulatory Operations Lead

Summary

Join Airbnb's Cities team as a Senior Regulatory Operations Lead and shape the company's global regulatory strategy. You will anticipate and interpret regulatory developments, providing strategic guidance to senior leadership. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement regulatory strategies and anticipate future trends. Design and oversee comprehensive regulatory programs, ensuring adherence to regulations and industry standards. Conduct thorough risk assessments, mitigate potential risks, and serve as the primary liaison with regulatory authorities. Establish systems to monitor regulatory activities, provide regular reports to senior leadership, and lead initiatives to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory operations. This role requires 12+ years of progressive experience in regulatory operations, legal/policy compliance, consulting, or risk management, preferably in highly regulated industries. The position is US-Remote Eligible with occasional office work or offsite attendance.

Requirements

• 12+ years of progressive experience in regulatory operations, legal/policy compliance, consulting, or risk management—preferably in technology, financial services, or other highly regulated industries
• Proven track record leading large-scale, cross-functional regulatory programs at the global or enterprise level
• Experience advising and influencing senior decision-makers through thought leadership, storytelling, and data-driven recommendations
• Experience engaging directly with regulators, government bodies, or international agencies
• Familiarity with regulatory technology and automation tools
• Ability to operate with a strategic lens—connecting regulatory requirements to long-term business objectives and functional roadmaps
• Excellent communicator and negotiator; able to transform ambiguity into clarity, and move from complexity to consensus
• Strong analytical skills and an ability to design operational structures that balance compliance, risk, and scalability
• Proven leadership growing and coaching high-performing, diverse teams; comfortable leading through influence as well as structure

Responsibilities

• Strategic Regulatory Leadership: Anticipate and interpret global regulatory developments, providing strategic guidance to senior leadership on potential impacts and opportunities. Develop and implement proactive strategies to navigate complex regulatory landscapes
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with cross-functional teams such as Legal, Policy, Product, Engineering, and Global Markets to implement regulatory strategies that address the changing landscape, and anticipate future trends
• Regulatory Program Oversight: Design and oversee comprehensive regulatory programs, ensuring adherence to applicable regulations, and industry standards. Monitor program effectiveness and make iterative improvements as necessary
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation: Conduct thorough risk assessments to identify potential regulatory and operational risks. Develop and implement measures to mitigate identified risks, ensuring the organization's resilience against regulatory challenges
• Regulatory Engagement: Serve as the primary liaison with regulatory authorities, managing relationships, facilitating audits, and leading responses to regulatory inquiries. Represent Airbnb in discussions and negotiations with regulators
• Monitoring and Reporting: Establish systems to monitor regulatory activities and trends. Provide regular reports to senior leadership highlighting key metrics, issues, and strategic recommendations
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement: Be aware of emerging technologies and regulatory trends to identify opportunities for innovation in regulatory processes. Lead initiatives to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory operations

Benefits

• This role may also be eligible for bonus, equity, benefits, and Employee Travel Credits
• Pay Range$196,000 — $245,000 USD