Perplexity
JGA recommended.

Yes—this is a niche senior search, so use specialist payroll/HR executive-search firms with genuine UK + EMEA coverage rather than a general US recruiter. The strongest starting points are Frazer Jones, JGA Recruitment, Middlemore, and Portfolio Payroll ; add Alexander Hughes if you want a broader retained executive-search partner with a US-facing interface. gpa +4

Best-fit recruiters

| Recruiter | Why they fit | Best use |

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

| Frazer Jones | A global HR recruitment and executive-search consultancy with a dedicated payroll practice; it explicitly recruits EMEA and global payroll leaders. John O’Brien leads its payroll team and recruits executive payroll/benefits professionals with UK, EMEA, and global remits. frazerjones +1 | First call for a retained or senior contingent search for a UK-based EMEA payroll head. |

| JGA Recruitment Group | UK specialist payroll recruiter that recruits Head of Payroll, Payroll Director, Global Payroll Director, and EMEA/international payroll roles across the UK and EMEA markets including Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Benelux, Nordics, Poland, Czech Republic, and Ireland. jgarecruitment +1 | Strong for a deep payroll-only candidate map and for multi-country EMEA experience. |

| Middlemore | London-based specialist executive search and recruitment firm focused on Global Payroll, HR, HRIS, Finance, and Reward; offers executive search, talent mapping, benchmarking, and interim solutions. [gpa](https://gpa.net/blogs/directory/middlemore) | Best when you want a more search-led, senior-level approach and market intelligence on compensation and competitor talent. |

| Portfolio Payroll / The Portfolio Group | Describes itself as the largest specialist UK payroll recruiter, with dedicated executive consultants for senior payroll professionals including managers, directors, and board-level experts; it also recruits EMEA payroll specialists and heads. theportfoliogroup +2 | Good for a broad UK market sweep and for candidates with strong UK/European payroll operations backgrounds. |

| Alexander Hughes | International executive-search firm with European offices and a coordinated process for US companies hiring leadership in Europe; it emphasizes a single US contact connecting clients to local overseas recruiters. [alexanderhughes](https://www.alexanderhughes.com/expanding-our-reach-in-supporting-us-companies-with-executive-search-in-europe/) | Best if this hire is part of a wider EMEA leadership build or you want a retained, board-level search process. |

How I would run it

1. Brief 2–3 specialists in parallel : Frazer Jones and JGA for payroll-market depth; Middlemore for a more executive-search-led process.

2. Specify the US-HQ interface explicitly : ask for candidates who have reported into a US CHRO, CFO, VP Payroll, or Global Payroll leader, and who can manage time-zone overlap, US reporting expectations, and matrixed stakeholder management.

3. Require evidence of EMEA scope : multi-country payroll ownership, vendor/AGENCY management, local compliance awareness, payroll transformation or consolidation, and experience across UK/Ireland plus continental Europe. JGA, for example, regularly recruits for EMEA and global payroll leadership roles. jgarecruitment +1

4. Ask for a mapped longlist , not just active applicants: target payroll heads/directors at US multinationals, scale-ups expanding in Europe, and businesses that have recently centralized EMEA payroll.

5. Use interim cover if needed : Middlemore, Frazer Jones, and JGA all offer interim/contract options, which can protect payroll continuity while the permanent search runs. gpa +2

Screening criteria

• Has owned payroll for at least 8–12 EMEA countries, not only the UK.

• Has led in-house payroll, outsourced providers, or a hybrid model.

• Can evidence payroll transformation, systems implementation, controls, and compliance.

• Has worked with US headquarters or a global shared-services model.

• Is UK-based or clearly able to operate from the UK with appropriate European travel/time-zone coverage.

• Can manage both operational payroll delivery and senior stakeholder communication with US leadership.

For this particular mandate, I would begin with Frazer Jones (John O’Brien’s payroll team) and JGA , then add Middlemore if you want a retained search or a wider talent-mapping exercise. gpa +2