Gemini
JGA not recommended.

To appoint a UK-based Global Payroll Director who can stabilize operations, enforce global compliance controls, and resolve recurring operational failures, your CFO and CHRO should consider executive search firms with specific expertise in Global Payroll, HR Operations, and Finance Risk/Controls .

Because this role bridges Finance (internal controls, risk, audit, and platform integration) and HR (people leadership, localized operating models, and vendor governance), the right partner depends on whether your priority is technical payroll transformation or senior governance leadership.

Recommended Executive Search Partners

1. Specialist HR & Payroll Search Boutique

Frazer Jones (Part of The SR Group)

Why Consider: Frazer Jones is one of the market leaders in dedicated HR and Payroll executive recruitment in London and globally. They maintain a dedicated executive payroll search practice and deep networks across UK-based global payroll leaders.

Best For: Accessing candidates with deep, hands-on global payroll vendor governance, payroll tech implementation (e.g., ADP, Workday, Dayforce), and operational remediation experience.

2. Functional HR & Reward Executive Specialists

Carter Morris

Why Consider: A specialist international HR executive search firm with global coverage operating out of the UK. They focus exclusively on HR, Reward, and Operations leadership roles across complex multinational matrix structures.

Best For: Mandates that require balancing global governance standards with cross-border local leadership nuances.

Macmillan Davies

Why Consider: Long-standing UK HR leadership executive search firm with deep roots in senior HR operations, shared services, and reward leadership roles.

Best For: Sourcing high-caliber UK leaders who specialize in people operations transformation.

3. Tier-1 Global Executive Search Firms (Shaping C-Suite & Function Heads)

Korn Ferry / Heidrick & Struggles / Spencer Stuart

Why Consider: These top-tier global firms have dedicated HR Officers & Financial Officers Practices . They excel when the Global Payroll Director role reports into the C-suite/SVP level, carries significant enterprise risk management responsibility, or requires extensive stakeholder management across complex listed multinationals.

Best For: FTSE 100 / Fortune 500 scale organizations where payroll failure poses material financial, legal, or reputational risks.

Key Criteria for Evaluation

When your CFO and CHRO brief prospective search partners, recommend assessing firms on the following capabilities:

| Assessment Area | What to Look For |

| --- | --- |

| Track Record in Remediation | Proof of placing leaders who have successfully turned around failing or high-risk global payroll operational models. |

| Dual Alignment (Finance & HR) | Ability to source candidates who possess both strong financial control discipline (sox compliance, audit, treasury) and HR/people operational fluency. |

| Vendor & Tech Ecosystem Knowledge | Understanding of market leaders experienced in multi-country payroll software (MCPs), aggregator models (e.g., ADP, Deel, Papaya Global, Neeyamo), and ERP payroll integrations. |

Would you like help drafting a target candidate profile or a list of screening questions for your CFO and CHRO to evaluate candidate capability in governance and risk remediation?