ChatGPT
JGA not recommended.

For this role, I’d prioritise recruitment firms with specialist payroll, senior finance and HR operations expertise , rather than a generalist finance recruiter alone.

The key is finding a permanent Head of Payroll who can manage outsourced UK and European payroll providers, govern supplier performance, and lead a service transition — not simply run an in-house payroll team. The hybrid Manchester location also makes North West candidate reach important.

I’d build a shortlist around three types of recruiter: payroll specialists, senior finance recruitment firms, and executive search firms with experience in shared services or outsourced operations.

Recommended recruitment shortlist

1. The Portfolio Group

First call

Best for: Specialist payroll talent and permanent recruitment.

Its dedicated payroll recruitment division covers permanent and executive hiring, with a Manchester office. This is the most direct starting point for accessing experienced payroll leaders. Portfolio Payroll +1

Ask specifically for candidates who manage multiple outsourced providers across the UK and EMEA, rather than payroll processing specialists.

Manchester: 0161 523 5585

[Payroll recruitment services ](https://portfoliopayroll.com/payroll/recruitment-services/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

2. Oakleaf Partnership

Best for: Senior payroll leadership and payroll transformation.

Oakleaf explicitly recruits Heads of Payroll, Payroll Directors, Payroll Project Managers and Payroll Implementation Consultants. Its coverage of payroll projects makes it a particularly relevant option for your service-transition requirement. Oakleaf Partnership +1

[Oakleaf Partnership website ](https://oakleafpartnership.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

3. Pro Recruitment

Best for: International payroll provider oversight.

Pro Recruitment has advertised a permanent Manchester-based EMEA Payroll Manager role involving oversight of outsourced providers, including ADP, across 15 countries. That is unusually close to the operating model you describe and makes them worth approaching about their candidate network. EMEA

[Pro Recruitment website ](https://pro-recruitment.co.uk/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

4. Robert Walters

Best for: A broader senior finance and operations search.

Its Manchester team covers finance, HR and senior-level permanent recruitment. I would use it to reach candidates with stronger commercial governance, stakeholder management and supplier-management experience, including those in larger multinational organisations. Robert Walters

Manchester: 0161 214 7400

[Manchester office and contact details ](https://robertwalters.co.uk/contact-us/united-kingdom/manchester.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

5. Marks Sattin

Best for: A finance-led Head of Payroll who owns controls and reporting.

Its Manchester team recruits across finance and accountancy, including payroll-related positions. It is worth testing whether its senior finance network includes candidates who combine payroll governance with outsourced service delivery. google.com

Manchester: 0161 507 3090

[Marks Sattin website ](https://markssattin.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

6. Hays

Best for: Additional North West coverage and payroll implementation experience.

Hays has recruited for Manchester-based payroll implementation and outsourced-provider management roles. It offers a useful additional channel for candidates with hands-on transition, implementation and operational delivery experience. Work Hub +1

Manchester: 0161 228 6565

[Hays website ](https://hays.co.uk/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

How I would run the search

I would brief the first three firms in parallel, then add Robert Walters or Marks Sattin if the initial shortlist is too operational or lacks senior finance capability.

Ask each recruiter to demonstrate that they can source candidates with these four essentials:

• Multi-country payroll: Direct accountability for UK and European payrolls delivered by external providers.

• Supplier governance: SLA and KPI ownership, escalation management, service reviews, controls and provider performance improvement.

• Service transition: Experience changing providers, onboarding new countries, migrating payroll services or transitioning work into a shared-services model.

• Leadership and controls: Strong financial reconciliations, compliance oversight, stakeholder management and the ability to influence HR, Finance and external vendors.

I would also ask for examples of comparable permanent placements, the likely candidate pool within commuting distance of Manchester, and their approach to passive-candidate search.

Suggested brief to send recruiters

Email

Subject

Permanent Head of Payroll – Manchester (Hybrid)

Hi,

We are looking to appoint a permanent Head of Payroll within our Manchester finance team.

The role will oversee UK and European payroll delivery through external payroll providers. We are particularly interested in candidates with demonstrable experience in:

◦ Managing outsourced payroll providers across multiple countries.

◦ Supplier governance, service-level agreements, KPIs and escalation management.

◦ Payroll service transitions, provider implementations or service transformation.

◦ Payroll controls, reconciliations, compliance and senior stakeholder management.

The role is hybrid, based in Manchester, and we are looking for a senior leader who can take ownership of service quality and drive continuous improvement rather than simply manage payroll processing.

Could you share details of your experience recruiting comparable permanent roles, the relevant candidate market you can access, and examples of candidates or placements that match this brief?

Please also advise on your proposed search approach, expected timeline and recruitment fee.

Kind regards,

Finance Team

My recommendation: Start with Portfolio Group, Oakleaf Partnership and Pro Recruitment. Together, they provide the most relevant initial mix of specialist payroll recruitment, senior payroll leadership and international outsourced-provider experience. Validate each firm's current candidate network and transition-search capability before agreeing terms.