Head of HR Centers of Excellence

About Papaya Global

Papaya Global is a rapidly scaling, award-winning B2B tech unicorn on a mission to transform the payroll and payments industry. Having secured over $400 million from premier investors, our innovative technology offers a comprehensive solution for global workforce management, spanning hiring, onboarding, employee management, and payments in over 160 countries.

As Papaya expands globally, we are seeking a dynamic Head of HR Centers of Excellence (CoE) to spearhead our global HR domains. This role is crucial for building the capabilities, practices, and experiences that will fuel our continued growth as a high-impact global unicorn with a strong market presence. You will be instrumental in deepening the impact of each HR domain and translating our business strategy into effective, high-quality People practices. Leading a global team of domain experts, you will define and execute a unified People strategy across all CoE functions, ensuring a consistent and meaningful employee experience throughout the organization.

This senior leadership position demands strategic vision coupled with a hands-on, agile approach, enabling flexible and creative problem-solving in a fast-paced, evolving landscape.

Why Join Us?

• An unparalleled opportunity to build and scale the People infrastructure for a fast-growing global organization at a critical juncture.
• A high-impact leadership role offering significant visibility.
• A dynamic environment that fosters innovation and provides ample room for shaping initiatives.
• Ideal for individuals who identify as Leaders, Builders, and Accelerators!

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop global functional leads across Total Rewards, Learning & Development, People Operations, HRIS, Talent Management, and People Analytics.
• Enhance the depth, quality, and impact of each HR domain, establishing best-in-class, forward-thinking People practices.
• Translate People strategy into practical, relevant day-to-day operations that drive tangible business outcomes.
• Cultivate a cohesive and high-quality employee experience by integrating all HR domains into a seamless and meaningful lifecycle.
• Collaborate closely with HR Business Partners and leadership to identify business needs and develop impactful People solutions.
• Serve as a strategic advisor on organizational design, workforce planning, and organizational effectiveness.
• Develop and refine organizational capabilities, strengthening leadership, management effectiveness, and overall performance.
• Champion innovation in People practices by continuously challenging existing methodologies and introducing novel ideas, tools, and approaches, including leveraging AI.
• Establish robust operational foundations, systems, and data to support scalability, efficiency, and informed decision-making.
• Support organizational growth by developing People practices scalable for global expansion and increasing complexity.

Requirements

• 10–15+ years of comprehensive HR experience, including leadership of multiple HR domains or Centers of Excellence.
• Demonstrated experience managing senior HR leaders across diverse disciplines.
• Proven track record in building and evolving People practices within high-growth or global organizations.
• Deep expertise in at least two HR domains, with a strong understanding of cross-functional HR areas.
• Experience collaborating with senior leadership and influencing at executive levels.
• Strong systems thinking and a data-driven mindset, with hands-on experience in HR systems and analytics.
• A highly proactive, hands-on approach with the ability to delve into operational details.
• Exceptional creativity and problem-solving skills, with the capacity to innovate beyond traditional HR practices.
• Flexibility and adaptability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Outstanding clarity of thought, intellectual rigor, sound judgment, and superior communication skills, adept at simplifying complexity and influencing a wide range of stakeholders.
• Advantage: Exposure to Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and post-merger integration processes.