Claude
JGA recommended.

I’d shortlist five agencies, in two tiers. The evidence below comes mostly from the agencies’ own marketing and job ads. I found no independent performance data such as placement volumes or client satisfaction scores.

Core shortlist: payroll specialists

1. Portfolio Payroll (The Portfolio Group)

• Its listing in the CIPP’s magazine says it was founded in 1988 and focuses solely on recruiting payroll professionals, across all sectors and levels, on permanent, temporary and contract terms. [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/234549040/57/)

• It describes itself as an official corporate partner of the CIPP (Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals), with a payroll test written exclusively for it by the CIPP for candidate testing. [a-leads](https://a-leads.co/company/1310115_db8aecdb)

• It also cites two Fast Track 100 placings and a Recruiter Hot 100 listing. [a-leads](https://a-leads.co/company/1310115_db8aecdb)

• A recent brochure shows live roles such as a Payroll Manager at a Leatherhead bureau (£35–40k) and a Senior Payroll Operations Manager in Dublin. That shows current activity at manager level, though the examples skew towards bureaus and international roles. [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/478805754/54/)

2. James Gray Associates (JGA Recruitment)

• It specialises in payroll, HR and reward recruitment, claims 12 years’ average payroll recruitment experience per consultant, and offers CIPP members a 20% discount on standard terms. [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/234549040/57/)

• It lists Payroll Manager among its specialist areas and cites two awards: Best Small Permanent Agency (RDLC Awards, 2020) and Best Payroll & HR Recruitment Specialists (2019). Both awards are several years old, so ask about more recent results. [jgarecruitment](https://jgarecruitment.com/?p=413823)

• One of its live adverts is for a bureau payroll specialist role in Manchester, so its focus may lean towards bureau and outsourcing hires. [aicpa-cima](https://mycareer.aicpa-cima.com/job/3875383/payroll-specialist/)

3. Frazer Jones

• It is a global HR executive search and recruitment firm with a dedicated payroll recruitment function. It says it has been mapping the global HR market since 1996. [frazerjones](https://www.frazerjones.com/de/market-insight/payroll/why-your-business-needs-skilled-payroll-professionals/) [gulftalent](https://www.gulftalent.com/mobile/uae/jobs/hr-payroll-officer-159855)

• Its site currently shows a Payroll & Rewards Manager search for an operationally driven organisation. [frazerjones](https://www.frazerjones.com/de/market-insight/payroll/why-your-business-needs-skilled-payroll-professionals/)

• This is a good fit if the role has a reward, HR operations or multi-country element. It is probably less suited to a purely transactional UK payroll hire. Its payroll content that I found is mostly global or Asia-Pacific, so confirm the UK payroll team’s depth.

Broader-reach options

4. Michael Page (Finance and HR)

• It lists payroll under its AP, AR, credit control and payroll finance recruitment, and describes itself as the longest-established finance recruiter in the UK. [michaelpage](https://www.michaelpage.co.uk/recruitment-expertise/finance)

• Its live payroll listings include permanent Payroll Specialist roles and a Payroll Manager role in industrial/manufacturing. Its payroll roles are a small part of a much larger finance offering, so ask who in the team actually handles payroll. [michaelpage](https://www.michaelpage.co.uk/jobs/payroll?page=1)

5. Hays

• The CIPP magazine’s agency listing says Hays Payroll Management recruits across UK industries and specialises in placing experts into payroll jobs. That is all the public evidence I found. It’s worth a conversation for national reach, but I’d want more from them before shortlisting. [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/234549040/57/)

Caveats and how to verify

• Paid listings. The CIPP magazine entries I relied on carry an invitation to advertise in the magazine, so they are probably paid placements rather than endorsements. [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/234549040/57/)

• Dated evidence. Some of the job-board examples are from 2017 to 2019, so I’ve weighted current listings more heavily.

• What to ask each agency: ◦ Three Payroll Manager placements from the last 12 months, in companies of a similar size and sector. ◦ Their fee structure, rebate terms and candidate guarantee. ◦ Their time-to-shortlist. ◦ Client references. ◦ Their REC membership. ◦ Their experience with your payroll system, such as iTrent or ADP.

If you tell me your sector, headcount and payroll software, I can narrow this to two or three agencies and draft a short brief to send them.