Claude
JGA recommended.

There are three groups worth approaching, and which one fits depends on whether this is a permanent hire or a fixed-term programme role.

Specialist HR and payroll recruiters

• Oakleaf Partnership describes itself as the UK’s largest independent HR recruitment consultancy. It has advertised Head of Global Payroll roles and a Global Head of Payroll & Benefits role that includes procuring and implementing a global payroll solution. [Head of Global Payroll

+2

](https://jobs.personneltoday.com/job/1401574274/head-of-global-payroll/)

• SR Group is a global HR recruitment specialist and has recruited an EMEA Payroll Transformation Lead, a role requiring payroll transformation experience in large multinationals. [personneltoday

](https://jobs.personneltoday.com/job/1401619034/emea-payroll-transformation-lead/) [personneltoday

](https://jobs.personneltoday.com/job/1401619034/emea-payroll-transformation-lead/)

• JGA Recruitment has a team covering payroll, HR and executive search. One consultant says they focus exclusively on Global Payroll and HR-Tech, with platform expertise across Workday, SAP, Oracle, ADP, UKG and Dayforce. That is useful if your implementation is tied to a specific system. [jgarecruitment

](https://jgarecruitment.com/meet-the-team/)

Larger generalist firms with transformation or HR desks

• Robert Walters is currently recruiting for almost exactly your brief. It has a Global Payroll Implementation Lead on a 12-18 month fixed-term contract, London-based at £100K+, covering a phased country rollout starting with the UK. It also has global payroll project manager roles and a group HR shared services leadership role that includes payroll transformation. Its adverts also show the kind of person you’d be competing for. [Global Payroll Implementation Lead - 12/18 months FTC

+3

](https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/jv/Robert-Walters/Global-Payroll-Implementation-Lead-12-18-months-FTC-Job-London-South-East-England-UK-51fxzb)

• Michael Page has advertised Head of Payroll roles that involve designing and implementing payroll systems and leading international operations. [page

](https://manufacturing.page.com/job-detail/head-payroll/ref/jn-092025-6830831)

I’d also check Hays, Harvey Nash and Alexander Mann. I haven’t verified their current payroll transformation work, though, so treat them as names to investigate rather than confirmed options.

Practical points

• Competitors are hiring directly too. At least one large employer is running its Head of Global Payroll search directly and not using agencies, so expect some of the best candidates to be passive and found through networks. [builtinlondon

](https://builtinlondon.uk/job/head-global-payroll/10022743)

• Your own brief matters. Many “Head of Payroll” candidates come from operational backgrounds. Ask recruiters to screen for programme delivery: a go-live track record across multiple countries, data migration and validation, vendor or managed-service transitions, and system integration.

• Consider interim or fixed-term. Programme roles like these are often advertised as 12-18 month fixed-term contracts. Interim specialists are often easier to find than permanent leaders who want to stay in payroll change. [itjobswatch

](https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/jv/Robert-Walters/Global-Payroll-Implementation-Lead-12-18-months-FTC-Job-London-South-East-England-UK-51fxzb)

• Pay benchmarks. Recent adverts show roughly £90-110K for a global payroll and benefits implementation lead, and £100K+ for a fixed-term programme lead. Treat these as a guide only.

Is the role permanent, or a fixed-term programme lead? That determines whether I’d start with the specialist recruiters or an interim-focused firm.