Legal Operations Manager

About Agoda

Agoda is an online travel booking platform for accommodations, flights, and more. We build and deploy cutting-edge technology that connects travelers with a global network of 4.7M hotels and holiday properties worldwide, plus flights, activities, and more. Based in Asia and part of Booking Holdings, our 7,100+ employees representing 95+ nationalities in 27 markets foster a work environment rich in diversity, creativity, and collaboration. We innovate through a culture of experimentation and ownership, enhancing the ability for our customers to experience the world.

Our Purpose – Bridging the World Through Travel

We believe travel allows people to enjoy, learn and experience more of the amazing world we live in. It brings individuals and cultures closer together, fostering empathy, understanding and happiness.

We are a skillful, driven and diverse team from across the globe, united by a passion to make an impact. Harnessing our innovative technologies and strong partnerships, we aim to make travel easy and rewarding for everyone.

Get to Know Our Team:

In the age of technology, things are constantly changing. The travel market is much the same, being more dynamic and complex than ever. Agoda's Legal team is well suited to take on the challenges presented, adopting a proactive mindset to tackle challenges and solve problems. We are quick on our feet, decisive, and collaborate with multiple departments. We hire out-of-the-box thinkers that are well grounded with ethics and legal knowledge to ensure that Agoda achieves the right results, the right way.

The Opportunity:

As a member of Agoda's in-house legal department, you will support the strategy, leadership, and management of Legal Operations. In this role, you will have two direct reports (as of now) and report directly to the Legal Operations Director. This role is critical in ensuring that Legal Operations functions efficiently, proactively, and effectively with other stakeholders, while allocating and deploying budget, time, and technology impactfully.

You will be an effective and accurate manager of the legal budget and forecasting. You should demonstrate a mindset of continuous improvement and implement it by using data and metrics to provide insights into operations. You will lead Legal Operations in fostering successful and ever-improving collaboration with the rest of the Agoda Legal Department (based in Bangkok but with international coverage in other locations) to contribute to the department's and Agoda's overall success.

• This position is open to both local and international candidates, with relocation support available for eligible candidates to ensure a smooth transition to working and living in Bangkok.
• This role focuses on legal operations and projects and is not a counsel position.

In This Role, You'll Get To:

• Support the General Counsel, Legal Leadership team, and the Legal Department as a whole with strategic planning for the function: identifying, articulating, and mapping strategic goals and objectives, aligning with different functions within the business, and tracking progress throughout the year. Demonstrate ownership by holding the leadership team accountable for achieving these goals.
• Manage and streamline legal operations and processes to ensure optimal efficiency through strategic implementation of technology and legal-AI tools for contract management, workflow automation, data analysis, and comprehensive reporting.
• Champion the implementation and integration of project management methodologies within legal projects to optimize operational efficiency, ensure comprehensive status reporting, proactively assess and mitigate risks, and enhance overall stakeholder satisfaction.
• Help raise the profile of Legal Operations within Agoda and improve communication initiatives between the team and the wider Agoda business. This includes understanding how Legal Operations can continue to align closely with the business and partner seamlessly with others.
• Develop and manage the legal department budget by maintaining thorough, organized, and accessible records to track legal expenses, report budget/spend, and identify opportunities to optimize savings.
• Stay informed about legal operations industry trends and identify opportunities to improve processes, share best practices, develop playbooks and training, and enhance efficiency within the Legal Department.
• Proactively seek opportunities to improve and enhance legal/admin processes, documentation, and systems.
• Support ad hoc requests for the Legal Department.

What you'll Need to Succeed:

• Experience working in an in-house legal environment within a legal operations team.
• 3–5 years of experience as a legal operations manager or in a comparable legal administration role, with a proven track record in legal technology implementation, process improvement, and project management.
• At least 3 years of recognized people management experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, or a related field from an accredited university. A Master's degree is a plus.
• A background in or certification for Project Management Professional (PMP), CAPM, PRINCE2, or PMI-ACP is highly desirable.
• Strong proficiency in English, with the ability to communicate clearly, fluently, and effectively in both written and spoken formats.
• Experience utilizing data and metrics, with superior skills in presenting them in formats such as graphs, tables, trends, or PowerPoint.
• Ability to lead, manage, coach, and develop a culturally diverse team.
• Excellent organizational skills, demonstrable ownership and accountability, with the ability to delegate effectively and manage projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage budgets and forecasting, with proficiency in using tools to measure and analyze process/system data for KPI reporting and continuous improvement.
• A desire to innovate and drive change through experimentation and measurement.

It's Great if you have:

• Experience working in APAC and/or other highly diverse and multicultural environments.
• Superior organizational skills, extraordinary attention to detail, and a mindset that processes can always be improved.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills, with proficiency in legal technology solutions such as CLM, vendor, and payment solutions.
• A passion for legal operations and a genuine enjoyment of working closely with a variety of legal professionals.

Equal Opportunity Employer

At Agoda, we pride ourselves on being a company represented by people of all different backgrounds and orientations. We prioritize attracting diverse talent and cultivating an inclusive environment that encourages collaboration and innovation. Employment at Agoda is based solely on a person's merit and qualifications. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity regardless of sex, age, race, color, national origin, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, citizenship, veteran or military status, and other legally protected characteristics.

We will keep your application on file so that we can consider you for future vacancies and you can always ask to have your details removed from the file. For more details please read our privacy policy.

To all recruitment agencies: Agoda does not accept third party resumes. Please do not send resumes to our jobs alias, Agoda employees or any other organization location. Agoda is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.