ChatGPT
JGA recommended.

For this hire, I’d prioritise executive search firms with a strong payroll, HR operations or finance transformation practice, alongside recruiters who understand UK and European multi-country payroll .

The critical distinction is that you need more than a senior payroll operator. For a UK buy-and-build business, the Group Payroll Director must be able to integrate acquired businesses, harmonise processes and controls, manage different country requirements, and deliver a scalable group payroll operating model as the business continues to acquire.

I’d run a targeted search across three groups: specialist payroll recruiters, senior finance/HR executive search firms, and interim or transformation specialists if integration needs to happen quickly.

My recommended recruiter shortlist

1. JGA Recruitment Group

Best specialist starting point

JGA specialises in payroll, HR and HR technology recruitment. Its current market activity includes senior EMEA payroll roles involving international delivery, providers, controls and transformation — directly relevant to your brief. LinkedIn Jobs

Ask them for: Group Heads of Payroll or Payroll Directors who have integrated acquired entities across multiple European jurisdictions.

Website: [jgarecruitment.com](https://jgarecruitment.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

2. Portfolio Payroll

A payroll-only specialist with UK-wide recruitment coverage and experience recruiting across seniority levels. A good channel for finding experienced payroll leaders who may not be actively applying for director-level positions. The Portfolio Group (London) +1

Ask them for: Candidates who have consolidated payroll after acquisitions, rationalised providers and standardised controls across multiple entities.

Website: [theportfoliogroup.com/payroll](https://www.theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

3. Phipps Cameron

A strong complementary option for a more bespoke, senior search. Its focus on finance leadership, M&A and strategy/transformation roles, including PE-backed businesses, makes it relevant to the buy-and-build environment. google.com

Ask them for: A retained search for a commercially minded Group Payroll Director who has supported post-acquisition integration and rapid organisational growth.

Website: [phippscameron.com](https://www.phippscameron.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

4. Oakleaf Partnership

Worth approaching for its HR and payroll recruitment network. Its consultants recruit payroll professionals in complex organisations, with exposure to international payroll and transformation-related roles. LinkedIn

Ask them for: Senior payroll leaders with both UK technical depth and experience leading cross-border payroll change.

Website: [oakleafpartnership.com](https://www.oakleafpartnership.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

5. The Consultancy Group

A useful option where the mandate is as much about transformation as payroll operations. It focuses on senior finance, strategy and transformation hiring, including work with PE-backed businesses. google.com

Ask them for: Leaders who have combined payroll integration with finance systems, shared services and post-merger operating-model change.

Website: [theconsultancygroup.com](https://www.theconsultancygroup.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

These are the firms I would contact first, not a claim that each has already completed an identical search. I would explicitly test their evidence of placing director-level candidates with hands-on acquisition integration experience before appointing one.

Who I would contact first

I’d start with JGA Recruitment Group and Portfolio Payroll for specialist candidate access, then add Phipps Cameron if you want a more bespoke executive search focused on PE-backed growth and M&A.

One particularly useful contact is Gemma Creamer, Director of the Permanent Division at Portfolio Payroll , who leads senior payroll recruitment. Her published contact is [gemma.creamer@portfoliopayroll.com](https://www.theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/our-team/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) . The Portfolio Group

The brief I would give recruiters

Ask each firm to demonstrate that it can identify candidates with all or most of these attributes:

• Acquisition integration: personally led payroll integration for multiple acquired businesses, not just participated in a system implementation.

• UK and European coverage: hands-on oversight across the UK and several European countries, including local payroll providers and country-specific compliance.

• Buy-and-build experience: worked in a PE-backed or acquisitive group, ideally through multiple acquisitions and rapid headcount growth.

• Operating-model transformation: consolidated payroll platforms or providers, standardised controls and reporting, and improved data quality.

• Executive-level ownership: comfortable with the CFO, HR Director, private equity sponsors and acquisition teams, with accountability for payroll risk and continuity.

A key screening question: “Tell me about the last two acquisitions where you personally owned payroll integration. What was the country footprint, what changed, and what did you deliver in the first 100 days?”

That question should quickly distinguish genuine integration leaders from strong BAU payroll managers.

Three details that would help me refine the shortlist

1. Expected base salary

Under £100k

£100k–£120k

[Default selected]

£120k–£160k

£160k+

Not yet set

2. Business ownership

[Default selected]

PE-backed platform

Corporate buy-and-build

Founder-owned acquisitive group

3. Payroll footprint

UK initially, Europe later

[Default selected]

UK + 3–8 European countries

UK + 9 or more European countries

Multiple payrolls inherited through acquisitions; footprint varies

With those details, I can narrow this to the most suitable firms and relevant individual consultants rather than a generic payroll recruitment list.