Perplexity
JGA not recommended.

For a permanent UK Payroll Manager with an urgent handover, approach two or three agencies in parallel : one specialist payroll recruiter, plus one broad finance recruiter with strong regional coverage. Portfolio Payroll should be first on the list; Hays and Robert Half are strong complementary options. hays.co +2

Recommended agencies

| Agency | Why approach them | Best fit |

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

| Portfolio Payroll | A dedicated UK payroll recruiter covering permanent, temporary and contract roles from Payroll Officer through Payroll Manager and Head of Payroll; it says it has specialist permanent-recruitment consultants and supports clients needing immediate or longer-notice candidates. theportfoliogroup +1 | First choice for a specialist, nationwide permanent search |

| Hays Accountancy & Finance | Recruits payroll roles including Payroll Manager and Head of Payroll, with dedicated payroll consultants and nearly 70 UK offices; it offers permanent, interim and contract solutions. hays.co +1 | Strong choice for UK-wide reach and local candidate coverage |

| Robert Half | Actively recruits permanent Payroll Manager roles in the UK and operates as an employment agency for permanent appointments; its finance specialism includes payroll. roberthalf +1 | Good second/third agency, especially for finance-embedded payroll roles |

| Reed | Large UK recruiter with broad finance and HR coverage; useful if you want a wider candidate net alongside a specialist agency. [peoplemanagingpeople](https://peoplemanagingpeople.com/services/best-recruitment-agencies-london/) | Useful volume and regional coverage |

| Robert Walters | Offers permanent recruitment and payroll-related solutions across finance, HR and other functions. [peoplemanagingpeople](https://peoplemanagingpeople.com/services/best-recruitment-agencies-london/) | Consider for a more senior or hybrid payroll/HR/reward role |

How to brief them

Tell every agency the role must include:

• End-to-end UK payroll ownership: PAYE, RTI, pensions auto-enrolment, statutory payments, benefits/P11Ds where relevant, and year-end.

• Your payroll system, headcount, pay frequency, union/shift patterns, and whether payroll sits in HR or Finance.

• A handover requirement : the successful candidate should ideally start before the incumbent’s final day, or the agency must supply interim cover.

• Your target start date, salary band, hybrid/office expectations, and any sector-specific compliance needs.

Protect payroll continuity

Ask each agency to propose both a permanent hire and an interim/contract contingency. Portfolio Payroll explicitly offers temporary and contract recruitment as well as permanent; Hays also provides interim and contract professionals, which matters if your leaver’s notice period is shorter than a realistic permanent-hire timeline. hays.co +1

If the handover window is tight, consider engaging a payroll interim immediately—Phase 3, for example, is cited as providing short-term interim payroll cover for in-house teams—while the permanent search proceeds.

[orielpartners.co](https://orielpartners.co.uk/blog/best-temporary-payroll-services)

Practical approach

1. Send the same written brief to Portfolio Payroll, Hays, and Robert Half .

2. Ask for candidate CVs within 3–5 working days and a clear fee, rebate, and replacement-guarantee terms.

3. Require evidence of UK payroll ownership, system experience, HMRC/RTI knowledge, and a track record of taking over a live payroll.

4. Build a documented handover checklist with the departing manager: calendars, cut-off dates, supplier contacts, pension/benefit providers, prior reconciliations, open queries, and year-end status.