Gemini
JGA recommended.

When hiring a Group Payroll Director to lead post-acquisition integration across the UK and Europe, standard HR or general finance recruiters are often insufficient. The role requires deep expertise in cross-border payroll compliance, harmonisation of software systems (e.g., Workday, ADP GlobalView, SuccessFactors), and M&A integration strategyTo recruit a Group Payroll Director capable of navigating complex post-acquisition integrations across the UK and Europe, you need a search partner with a dual focus: executive-level finance/HR search capability and specialist international payroll knowledge .

Here is a breakdown of the leading UK/European recruitment agencies with dedicated senior payroll or executive finance practices, along with a recommendation on who to contact first.

1. Top Specialist Agencies to Consider

A. Specialist Payroll & HR Search (Deep Niche Focus)

Portfolio Payroll / Portfolio Executive

Focus: Widely recognized as the UK’s leading dedicated payroll recruitment agency.

Why them: They have a specific Executive Search division handling C-suite, Director, and VP-level payroll placements. Because they only do payroll, their database of senior leaders who have managed multi-country payroll integrations (ADP GlobalView, Workday, SD Worx, etc.) is unmatched.

JGA Recruitment Group

Focus: Specialist recruitment consultancy focused exclusively on Payroll, HR, and Reward.

Why them: They host the popular Payroll Podcast and have a strong thought-leadership presence across Europe. They specialize heavily in global/cross-border payroll transformations and senior-level appointments.

B. Executive Finance & Transformation Search (Broader Strategic Scope)

Frazer Jones (Part of The The LHH / Adecco Network / Specialist HR)

Focus: Global HR, Reward, and Payroll executive search.

Why them: Excellent European reach (offices across UK, Germany, Netherlands, Italy). If your European footprint requires local labor law knowledge and cross-border payroll compliance, their international footprint is a major advantage.

Robert Walters / Marks Sattin

Focus: Senior Finance, Payroll Transformation, and Interim/Permanent Executive Search.

Why them: Strong in high-growth, M&A-heavy environments. They regularly place Transformation Directors and Group Payroll Directors who specialize in post-merger ERP/Payroll consolidation.

2. Recommendation: Who to Contact First?

I recommend reaching out to Portfolio Executive and JGA Recruitment Group as your first port of call.

| Agency | Why Contact First? | Best For... |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Portfolio Executive | Largest UK/EU candidate pool purely dedicated to payroll leadership. | Speed to market and access to proven Group Payroll Directors. |

| JGA Recruitment | Highly specialized in international, multi-entity payroll transformation. | Complex European M&A integration and strategic change management. |

Why these two first?

Generalist finance executive search firms often treat payroll as a secondary discipline. For a role requiring post-acquisition integration across multiple European jurisdictions , you need candidates who understand nuances like Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE in the UK), works councils/unions in mainland Europe (e.g., France, Germany), and cross-border tax compliance. Specialist payroll search firms have direct access to leaders who have executed this exact playbook.

3. Recommended Next Steps for Your CFO

Dual-Pitch: Brief both Portfolio Executive and JGA Recruitment to assess their recent placements of European Payroll Directors in M&A environments.

Define the Scope: Clarify early whether the business needs a purely strategic permanent Director or a hybrid Transformation Director (who builds the centralized target operating model before handing over to an operational head).

Would you like help drafting a brief/job description for the headhunters, or key competency questions to ask during candidate interviews?