How Papaya Global Built a Data Unit
from Scratch

Company

Papaya Global is a SaaS fintech company providing global payroll technology and the only one with an embedded payments platform designed for the workforce needs of global enterprises. Papaya’s comprehensive technology, known as Papaya Payroll OS, provides global payroll with automation, compliance, flexibility, and security.

The platform gives finance teams the visibility and control to master workforce spending and payments — with full liability if anything goes wrong. Papaya’s integrated approach connects the dots of global payroll, unifying and standardizing data and processes from HCM and ERP tools to create a single source of truth. It turns payroll – every company’s biggest expense and liability – into a strategic asset, empowering growth at scale.

Challenge

After collaborating with BLeader during his work at Payoneer, Sharon Amit was hired as Director of Data and Process Payments, and tasked with building Papaya Global’s data unit from scratch. While he had a very clear understanding of how he wanted things to work, setting it up required technological skills which Amit says he did not possess. Another challenge was hiring and training the right people – which can be challenging in a fast-paced startup that wants results fast. Amit needed to achieve all this with limited time and resources and earn the company’s trust in the data unit by overdelivering.

Results

The first project was establishing a data strategy and architecture, as well as developing Papaya Global’s approach to data. “Working with BLeader enabled us to bring the right people and to establish a data architecture within a very short period of time,” says the Senior Director.Sharon goes on to say that creating credibility and trust, while having a lean unit that meets its lofty goals within a lean timeframe was the most important result.

Working with BLeader provided Papaya the flexibility to reach quick wins and build a healthy infrastructure without having to go through trial and error, but leaning on BLeader’s experience. “This provided us with a very elastic solution which we could expand as organizational readiness grows.”

Another key element was the sense of true partnership and commitment. While organizations can be weary of trusting outside consultants with hiring and training, Amit says it was a game changer. “BLeader finds the right talent but it doesn’t end there,” he says. “They provide guidance through onboarding and training and it results in better success rates.“ Papaya Global’s Senior Director also mentioned that reliability and availability were a big component of how well the collaboration works: “I can call them to troubleshoot at any time of the day, and I can count on them for anything regarding team members they help us find.”

Top Value Adds

• Team building with capabilities and training/guidance
• Data architecture that is tried and true and can be customized very quickly to our particular needs, vertical etc
• Commitment and credibility: If there’s an issue, I can always call them and get a solution, no matter the time. When it comes to hiring through BLeader, their approach is that if there’s an issue, it’s their job to make sure we have a solution.