Claude
JGA recommended.

I’d split the options into three groups. I could verify only some of what these firms say about themselves, so treat this as a longlist to test, not a ranking.

Firms worth shortlisting

Payroll and HR-tech specialists

• Frazer Jones describes itself as a global HR recruitment and executive search consultancy. It runs a dedicated payroll practice covering executive search, contingent and interim work, and claims a network of 300,000+ HR professionals. [frazerjones](https://www.frazerjones.com/?p=140035)

• Middlemore positions itself as a specialist executive search firm across Global Payroll, HR, HRIS and Finance. It lists global payroll transformation, HRIS and payroll implementation, programme management, change and data migration among the appointments it supports. That is close to your brief. [gpa](https://gpa.net/blogs/directory/middlemore)

• JGA Recruitment says it focuses on global payroll and HR-tech, with expertise across Dayforce, Workday, UKG, SAP, Oracle and ADP. It is likely strongest on the systems side, but check whether it works at director level. [jgarecruitment](https://jgarecruitment.com/meet-the-team/)

Executive search with live HRIS/payroll programme work

• Oliver Sanderson is currently advertising retained HRIS and payroll programme roles involving a move to a global SuccessFactors platform. It is also advertising an interim payroll and HR systems transformation lead role. That suggests recent relevant mandates, but those are programme manager and lead roles, so ask about director-level placements. [itjobswatch](https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/jv/Oliver-Sanderson-Group-PLC/HRIS-Payroll-Programme-Manager-Hybrid-Retained-Job-London-UK-517tgf)

• Page Executive has advertised a European HR Transformation Director role at a UK-based global manufacturer. That shows European HR leadership search, though it is not payroll-specific. [thehrdirector](https://www.thehrdirector.com/?p=156948)

Generalist HR recruiters (probably better for supply than for search)

• SR Group, Oakleaf Partnership and Hays all appeared in my results with payroll or HR transformation listings. They are strong on volume and market coverage, but I would test whether they can run a confidential, retained director search.

Not verified here:

the large global executive search houses (Korn Ferry, Spencer Stuart, Russell Reynolds, Heidrick & Struggles) are worth a look if the role reports to the CHRO or CFO and has a broad business-transformation remit. I didn’t confirm their payroll-specific credentials, so ask them directly.

Evidence to request

1. Comparable placements (last 3 years)

• At least 3 to 5 anonymised placements at Director/Head level covering payroll transformation, HRIS or ERP implementation, or shared-service consolidation.

• For each: sector, headcount and payroll population, number of countries, and the systems involved (Workday, SuccessFactors, SAP, Oracle, UKG, or a global payroll vendor).

• Time to shortlist and time to offer, plus whether the hire is still in post at 12 and 24 months.

2. Payroll operations depth

• Placements who ran multi-country payroll operations, not only project roles.

• Evidence they understand UK statutory and RTI requirements, plus European complexity such as country-specific tax, social security, works council involvement and data protection.

• Experience with outsourced and multi-vendor payroll models.

3. HR systems integration

• Placements who led a live implementation or integration through to go-live and stabilisation, including data migration and parallel runs.

• Whether they can assess candidates’ vendor-neutral architecture judgement, not just platform familiarity.

• Relationships with implementation partners, and how the firm manages any conflicts of interest.

4. Change management and leadership

• How they test for stakeholder influence at executive level across HR, Finance and IT.

• Examples of candidates with a track record managing programme recovery or a failed implementation, plus how they evidence it.

• Experience with unions or works councils and with employee communications around pay-critical changes.

5. Process and commercial terms

• Named consultants who would run your search, their individual tenure, and their own track record.

• Search methodology: talent mapping, market intelligence, and how they reach passive candidates in Europe.

• Diversity of shortlists, and any ESG or equity reporting they provide.

• Fee structure (retained or contingent), guarantee and replacement terms, and exclusivity or off-limits restrictions.

• Two or three client references from payroll or HR systems director hires, ideally speaking to someone who made a comparable appointment.

Tips

• Ask each firm to walk you through one placement end to end, including what went wrong. Weak firms stay at the headline level.

• Check LinkedIn for the named consultants’ actual tenure and past roles. Firm-level claims often outstrip individual experience.

• Consider a dual approach: a specialist payroll/HRIS firm for market access, plus a retained search firm if you need executive-level assessment and confidentiality.

I can draft an RFP or a scoring matrix for comparing the firms if that would help.