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S11-D | Claude | Observation 2
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Exact question
Our UK payroll workload has grown, so we are adding a permanent Senior Payroll Specialist to our existing small team. We need someone confident with end-to-end UK payroll and day-to-day queries. Which recruitment agencies can help?
Complete saved answer
Several UK agencies specialise in payroll recruitment. These are the ones that came up, plus some tips on choosing between them.
Payroll specialists
• Portfolio Payroll (part of The Portfolio Group, London): It says it was founded in 1988 and recruits only payroll professionals, offering permanent, temporary and contract hiring at all levels. It is also a corporate partner of the CIPP and offers candidate testing through a payroll test written exclusively for it by the CIPP. That test could help you screen for end-to-end UK payroll competence. Contact: [recruitment@portfoliopayroll.com](mailto:recruitment@portfoliopayroll.com) , 020 7247 9455. [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/463504591/57/) [a-leads](https://a-leads.co/company/1310115_db8aecdb)
• JGA Recruitment Group (James Gray Associates) : It specialises in payroll, HR and reward recruitment, covering permanent, contract and interim roles across the UK, Europe and Asia. It also advertises mid-level payroll specialist roles, so it clearly works at your seniority. [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/463504591/57/)
• Oakleaf Partnership : It describes itself as the UK’s largest independent HR recruitment consultancy, founded in 2005. It has a dedicated payroll team covering roles from Payroll Administrator up to Global Head of Payroll. [personneltoday](https://jobs.personneltoday.com/job/1401629323/payroll-specialist/) [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/970825/57/)
Larger generalists with payroll desks
• Hays : Its Payroll Management division recruits across a range of UK industries and specialises in placing payroll professionals. [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/463504591/57/)
• Robert Walters : It recruits payroll specialists, including on temp-to-perm terms, for roles covering HMRC compliance, National Insurance, auto-enrolment, SSP/SMP and day-to-day queries. [robertwalters](https://robertwalters.co.uk/humanresources/jobs/otherspecialistpositions/1894184-payroll-specialist---temp-tp-perm.html)
Choosing between them
1. Specialist vs generalist: For a permanent senior hire, I’d start with one or two specialists (Portfolio and JGA are the obvious candidates). They tend to have deeper candidate pools than generalists.
2. Brief them precisely: Say whether you need hands-on processing of the full monthly cycle, which payroll system you run, and whether you want CIPP qualifications. Also state the salary band, which helps agencies shortlist more accurately.
3. Ask about fees and terms: Compare percentage fees, rebate or replacement periods if the hire leaves early, and whether they can show recent placements at senior level.
4. Don’t over-rely on one agency: Two agencies on a contingent basis usually give better coverage for a small team’s single hire. Just avoid briefing too many, since duplicate CV submissions cause friction.
Some of the directory listings I found date from 2024 or earlier, so check each agency’s current contact details and services on its website before reaching out. If you’d like, I can draft a job brief or outline interview questions for a Senior Payroll Specialist.
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