Implementation Manager

Papaya Global•Barcelona, CT

About The Position

Papaya Global is a rapidly growing, award-winning B2B tech unicorn with an ambitious mission to revolutionize the payroll & payments industry. With over $400M raised from multiple tier-one investors, our innovative technology provides a comprehensive solution for managing global workforces, encompassing everything from hiring and onboarding to managing and paying employees in over 160 countries. We are seeking a highly motivated Implementation Manager to join our Client Services team. In this role, you'll act as the primary point of contact for new clients, guiding them through every phase of the implementation process—from initial discovery to go-live. Success in this role requires exceptional project management skills, a detail-oriented mindset, and a passion for helping clients unlock the full value of our platform. The ideal candidate also has an AI-builder mindset and is able to leverage AI-powered workflows and automations to improve implementation efficiency, customer experience, and operational processes.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
3–5+ years in a customer-facing role, preferably in SaaS or payroll/HR tech environments.
3–5+ years of experience with payroll implementation or processing.
Solid understanding of service models such as PEO, EOR, ASO, AOR, and contingent workforce solutions.
Proven ability to manage multiple client projects simultaneously from discovery to go-live.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a proactive approach to issue resolution.
Excellent time management skills with the ability to juggle multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Customer-centric mindset with outstanding relationship-building capabilities.
Experience in Change Management and continuous improvement practices.
Ability to use AI tools to improve project planning, documentation, client communication, reporting, risk tracking and workflow automation.
Proficiency with payroll software platforms and HRIS/ERP systems.
Strong understanding of data migration, system integration, and platform configuration.
Ability to troubleshoot technical issues and collaborate with cross-functional teams for resolution.
Experience managing multiple, concurrent implementation projects with excellent project planning skills.
Familiarity with project management tools such as JIRA, Asana, Monday.com, or Microsoft Project.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
Comfortable engaging with stakeholders at all levels, from payroll administrators to senior leadership.
Strong client-facing presence and the ability to manage expectations with empathy and confidence.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end client onboarding, including initial discovery, platform configuration, data migration, testing, and go-live support.
Develop and manage comprehensive project plans, ensuring milestones and deadlines are met across all phases of the implementation.
Collaborate with client stakeholders to understand business needs and payroll requirements, tailoring solutions accordingly.
Maintain consistent, proactive communication with clients throughout the implementation journey.
Identify risks or blockers early and implement mitigation strategies to ensure successful project delivery.
Leverage AI-powered workflows and automations to streamline onboarding activities, project tracking, customer communications, documentation, and implementation reporting.
Work closely with internal teams—Product, Account Management, Support, and Engineering—to resolve issues and deliver optimal client outcomes.
Implement solutions to recurring challenges and contribute to process improvements that enhance client satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Identify opportunities to use AI tools and automations to improve collaboration, issue resolution, and communication across implementation teams.
Collect client feedback and analyze implementation trends to inform continuous improvement initiatives.
Partner with Product and Implementation Leadership to suggest enhancements based on client pain points, product limitations, or process bottlenecks.
Proactively identify gaps in onboarding workflows and propose innovative tools or approaches to improve client outcomes.
Design and implement AI-driven workflows or no/low-code automations that reduce repetitive manual work and improve the scalability and efficiency of implementation processes.
Ensure all implementations adhere to regional and international payroll compliance requirements.
Maintain detailed documentation for each project, including requirements, configurations, workflows, and outcomes.
Leverage AI tools to improve documentation, knowledge management, reporting, and information accessibility while ensuring accuracy and appropriate human oversight.
Facilitate a structured handover to Account Management and Customer Success teams post-implementation.