Perplexity
JGA not recommended.

For a medium-sized UK business hiring a permanent, hands-on Payroll Manager , start with specialist payroll recruiters rather than general finance agencies. The strongest options are Portfolio Payroll , Hays , Robert Half , Oakleaf Partnership , Frazer Jones , and McKinnon Talent . hays.co +5

Best-fit recruiters

| Recruiter | Why they fit | Permanent payroll coverage |

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

| Portfolio Payroll | A dedicated payroll recruiter with separate permanent, temporary/contract, and executive teams; recruits Payroll Managers through to Heads of Payroll and supports in-house and bureau employers. theportfoliogroup +1 | UK-wide, with London and Manchester offices. [theportfoliogroup](https://www.theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/) |

| Hays | Large UK recruiter with dedicated payroll consultants and nearly 70 UK offices; recruits payroll managers and related roles on a permanent basis. [hays.co](https://www.hays.co.uk/jobs/accountancy-finance/payroll) | Strong nationwide reach. [hays.co](https://www.hays.co.uk/jobs/accountancy-finance/payroll) |

| Robert Half | Finance and accounting recruiter that actively places permanent Payroll Managers, including end-to-end UK payroll, BACS/Faster Payments, pensions, and team management. roberthalf +1 | National finance-recruitment network. [roberthalf](https://www.roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/england/payroll-manager) |

| Oakleaf Partnership | Dedicated payroll consultancy placing permanent and interim roles from administrators to Payroll Managers and Directors; consultants include people with payroll/accounts backgrounds. [oakleafpartnership](https://www.oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities) | Full UK coverage. [oakleafpartnership](https://www.oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities) |

| Frazer Jones | HR-specialist recruiter with payroll executive and permanent recruitment services; can source sole UK Payroll Managers and interim cover if the departure creates a gap. [frazerjones](https://www.frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/) | Global HR network, including UK payroll leadership roles. [frazerjones](https://www.frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/) |

| McKinnon Talent | Smaller, payroll-only UK recruiter covering entry-level through senior leadership across in-house, outsourced, bureau, and accountancy environments. [mckinnontalent.co](https://www.mckinnontalent.co.uk/) | UK-wide specialist focus. [mckinnontalent.co](https://www.mckinnontalent.co.uk/) |

How to brief them

Ask each agency for candidates who can own the payroll cycle , not merely supervise it. Your vacancy brief should specify:

• Payroll frequency and headcount: monthly/weekly, number of employees, multiple entities or PAYE schemes.

• Systems: Sage, Iris, ADP, Workday, Dayforce, BrightPay, or other payroll/HRIS platforms.

• Scope: RTI submissions, statutory payments, pensions auto-enrolment, benefits, P11Ds, year-end, HMRC queries, BACS/Faster Payments, reconciliations, and journals.

• Team context: whether they will manage payroll administrators or work as a sole charge payroller.

• Reporting line and split: HR, Finance, or shared responsibility.

• Permanent salary range, location/hybrid policy, notice period, and start date.

Practical approach

Use two or three specialist agencies in parallel —for example, Portfolio Payroll, Hays, and Oakleaf—and ask each for a shortlist within 5–10 working days. If the outgoing manager has a short notice period, ask the same agencies about interim payroll cover while the permanent search runs; Portfolio, Oakleaf, and Frazer Jones all offer interim or temporary payroll recruitment. theportfoliogroup +2

For a medium-sized business, prioritise candidates with end-to-end UK payroll ownership , strong HMRC/RTI and pensions knowledge, payroll-system proficiency, and evidence of managing month-end, year-end, and audit or compliance work.