Gemini
JGA recommended.

For a medium-sized UK business needing to replace a departing Payroll Manager, using specialist recruiters who understand UK legislation (PAYE, auto-enrolment, HMRC compliance, and software like BrightPay, Sage, or ADP) is key to a smooth handover.

Here are the top recruitment options categorized by specialization and reach:

1. Specialist Payroll Recruitment Agencies

These niche agencies deal exclusively (or heavily) in payroll roles and have pre-vetted talent pools of standalone Payroll Managers, Payroll Supervisors, and Bureau Leads.

Portfolio Payroll (The Portfolio Group)

Best for: Fastest access to dedicated, pre-vetted payroll candidates across all UK regions.

Why them: They are widely considered the largest dedicated payroll recruitment specialist in the UK. They cover permanent, interim, and temporary roles.

JGA Recruitment Group [Source G01]

Best for: Niche executive search and standard Payroll Manager placements.

Why them: Dedicated award-winning payroll recruiters specializing in mid-to-senior levels for mid-market and corporate entities across the UK.

Payroll Elite [Source G02]

Best for: Focused boutique payroll recruitment across the UK.

2. General Accounting & Finance Agencies

If your Payroll Manager also handles broader finance/accounts duties (e.g., purchase ledger or nominal ledger journals), finance recruiters can balance both skill sets well.

Hays Accounting & Finance: Nationwide reach with dedicated regional payroll recruitment desks. Excellent if you prefer local candidates or hybrid working models.

Robert Half: Strong for placing qualified operational managers and payroll leads rapidly, particularly in mid-market firms.

Reed Finance / Reed Specialist Recruitment: Large network across UK regions, offering fixed-fee permanent placement models for mid-level managers.

Recommended Action Plan

To ensure no gap in your payroll runs during the recruitment process, consider the following timeline and strategy:

1. Arrange Short-Term Cover (Week 1):

Permanent recruitment typically takes 4 to 8 weeks (including notice periods). Ask the chosen recruiter to source a temp-to-perm or interim payroll contractor to overlap with your departing manager before their notice period ends.

2. Define Key Requirements (Day 1–2):

Clarify whether the replacement will be a sole-charge standalone Payroll Manager or managing a small team.

Specify software dependencies (e.g., Xero, Workday, SD Worx, Sage 50/200) and payroll frequency (monthly, weekly).

3. Engage Specialists (Day 3):

Reach out to Portfolio Payroll or JGA Recruitment to obtain salary benchmarking data for your region and initiate candidate sourcing. [Source G03]

Would you like advice on average UK Payroll Manager salary benchmarks for your region, or help drafting key job specifications for the role?