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S07-A | Gemini | Observation 1

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Exact question

Our Payroll Manager has resigned. We are a medium-sized UK employer and need a permanent replacement to run our UK payroll. Which recruitment agencies should we speak to?

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For a medium-sized UK employer looking to hire a permanent Payroll Manager, it is strongly recommended to engage  specialist HR & payroll recruitment agencies  rather than generalist recruiters.  Specialist recruiters maintain active networks of Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) qualified candidates and understand critical operational details like specific software proficiencies (e.g., ADP, iTrent, Workday, BrightPay).

Here are the top UK recruitment agencies to contact, alongside strategic advice for managing the immediate operational transition.

1. Top Specialist Payroll Recruitment Agencies

Portfolio Payroll

Overview: The market leader and largest dedicated payroll recruitment agency in the UK. They are corporate partners of the CIPP and focus solely on payroll, HR, and reward positions.

Best For:  Access to the deepest network of permanent Payroll Managers across all UK regions.

Key Strength:  They provide pre-vetted payroll candidates and can assess technical competency on key systems (Sage, ADP, iTrent, etc.).

JGA Recruitment Group

Overview: An award-winning, specialist recruitment consultancy focusing heavily on Payroll, HR, and Reward leadership.

Best For:  Mid-to-senior payroll leadership appointments and finding candidates with strong transformation or change-management experience.

Key Strength: Excellent retention rates (over 97%) and strong industry presence (hosting the UK’s leading  Payroll Podcast ).

Oakleaf Partnership

Overview:  A leading boutique recruitment firm specializing in Payroll, HR, and Reward professionals across the UK.

Best For:  Mid-market and corporate employers seeking tailored search and high-touch service.

Key Strength:  High success rate in placing experienced Payroll Leaders and Managers in permanent in-house positions.

2. Large Finance & HR Recruitment Consultancies

If you already have preferred supplier agreements (PSLs) or want broader commercial reach, these major finance recruitment firms have specialized, dedicated payroll desks:

Hays Specialist Recruitment (Payroll Division):  Nationwide coverage with regional teams capable of quickly sourcing local mid-level candidates.

Robert Half UK:  Strong in placing experienced operational managers and commercial payroll professionals across regional UK hubs.

Reed Specialist Recruitment (Payroll & Accountancy):  Broad network offering fast turnaround times for mid-market roles.

3. Recommended Action Plan for the Transition

Because hiring a permanent Payroll Manager typically takes  6 to 12 weeks  (accounting for notice periods of 1 to 3 months), you should address both immediate coverage and long-term recruitment concurrently:

| Priority | Strategy | Action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Immediate (Gap Coverage) | Interim / Contractor | Ask agencies (e.g., Portfolio or JGA) for an  Interim Payroll Manager  on a 3-month contract to ensure payroll runs smoothly while you interview. |
| Alternative Plan | Bureaux / Outsourcing | Consider short-term fully managed support from providers like  Moorepay ,  Blick Rothenberg , or  Corient  if candidate availability is tight. |
| Permanent Hiring | Define Requirements | Detail your software (e.g., Xero, Sage, iTrent), team size, headcount, and pay frequency (monthly, weekly) before brief meetings with recruiters. |

Would you like advice on drafting the role description, benchmarking salary rates for a UK Payroll Manager, or structuring the technical interview questions?

Recorded source events

Capture status: Complete source record. Supporting citations, provider links and retrieved results are separate.

• supporting_citation
  The Portfolio Group Expert Payroll Recruitment Agency - The Portfolio Group “ Through partnerships with industry leaders like the CIPP, we offer payroll knowledge assessments, salary surveys, and expert guides to enhance your recruitment...”
  S07-A-gemini-r1-C1
• supporting_citation
  The Portfolio Group Expert Payroll Recruitment Agency - The Portfolio Group “Supporting the payroll sector since 1988, Portfolio Payroll is the market-leading recruitment agency for payroll professionals at all levels in the UK. The No.”
  S07-A-gemini-r1-C2
• supporting_citation
  JGA Recruitment Payroll Recruitment Specialists In UK | JGA Recruitment Agency “Need expert Payroll talent? JGA Recruitment is the UK's leading Payroll recruitment agency, helping businesses hire top payroll professionals.”
  S07-A-gemini-r1-C3
• supporting_citation
  JGA Recruitment Group Payroll Recruitment Specialists In UK | JGA Recruitment Agency “Trusted Partnerships: With over 100 five-star Google reviews, our clients trust us to find the best payroll talent. Quality Assurance: With a 97.6% candidate re...”
  S07-A-gemini-r1-C4

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