ChatGPT
JGA not recommended.

For this role, I’d prioritise recruiters who specialise in senior payroll appointments and international payroll operations , rather than relying solely on general finance recruitment firms. The key is finding someone who can assess candidates on outsourced-provider governance, UK and European payroll delivery, and the transition of services between suppliers.

My recommended recruitment shortlist

These are the firms I’d approach first for a permanent, hybrid Head of Payroll in Manchester.

1. Portfolio Payroll

First choice

A strong starting point because payroll recruitment is its core specialism, it has a Manchester presence, and it explicitly recruits for permanent and executive-level payroll positions. Portfolio Payroll +1

Why it fits: Access to payroll leadership candidates and a recruiter likely to understand the difference between running payroll in-house and governing external payroll providers.

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

2. McKinnon Talent

A dedicated payroll recruiter covering in-house, outsourced, bureau and accountancy-firm environments, with senior roles including Head of Payroll in its advertised vacancies. Mckinnon Talent

Why it fits: Particularly worth approaching if you want a specialist who can distinguish operational payroll experience from supplier-management and service-delivery leadership.

[McKinnon Talent website](https://www.mckinnontalent.co.uk/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

3. Pro-Recruitment Group

Its Pro-Finance division has advertised a Manchester-based EMEA Payroll Manager role involving outsourced provider oversight, multiple European countries and payroll controls. EMEA +1

Why it fits: Particularly relevant to your international remit and the need for someone who can work across Finance, local country stakeholders and external providers.

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

4. Sellick Partnership

Its Manchester finance and accountancy recruitment team has recently advertised a permanent, hybrid payroll leadership position covering multiple European countries and external payroll providers. Sellick Partnership

Why it fits: A useful option for candidates with a combination of payroll governance, financial controls, multi-country operations and stakeholder management.

[Sellick Partnership](https://www.sellickpartnership.co.uk/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

5. Robert Walters

Its Manchester office recruits across finance and operations, and its advertised payroll-related roles reference outsourced international providers, European payroll compliance and process improvement. google.com +1

Why it fits: A worthwhile additional channel if you want to reach candidates with broader shared-services, finance transformation or international operations experience.

[Robert Walters Manchester](https://www.robertwalters.co.uk/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Additional firms worth considering

• Transaction Recruitment — a payroll and transactional-finance specialist that recruits in Manchester, including permanent payroll management roles. Worth considering for operational leadership candidates. Its Manchester service is delivered remotely from the West Midlands. [Website](https://www.transactionrecruitment.co.uk/locations/manchester/payroll-manager?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

• Marks Sattin — an established Manchester finance recruiter to consider if you want to widen the search to finance leaders with shared-services or transformation backgrounds. [Website](https://www.markssattin.co.uk/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) google.com

Manchester recruitment firms

How I’d brief the recruiters

The service-transition requirement is the differentiator. I’d explicitly ask each firm to evidence candidates against these criteria:

• International provider management: accountability for outsourced UK and European payroll vendors, including service levels, escalations, performance reviews and contractual obligations.

• Service transitions: leading a payroll provider change, implementation, transition to a shared-services model or transfer of payroll operations between suppliers.

• Governance and controls: payroll reconciliations, statutory compliance, audit readiness, risk management and data protection across multiple jurisdictions.

• Senior stakeholder management: influencing Finance, HR, Procurement, IT and in-country teams.

• Practical fit: permanent appointment, Manchester hybrid attendance and experience operating at Head-of-Function level.

I would ask for two or three anonymised candidate profiles before agreeing terms, specifically showing the scale of international payroll managed, providers overseen and transitions delivered.

Who I’d contact first

My suggested order is:

1. Portfolio Payroll — for its dedicated payroll and senior permanent recruitment capability.

2. McKinnon Talent — for another specialist payroll talent pool.

3. Pro-Recruitment Group — for international payroll and finance leadership experience.

For an initial conversation, Portfolio Payroll lists its Manchester office on 0161 523 5585 and its recruitment email as recruitment@portfoliopayroll.com . Portfolio Payroll

One final question that would help refine the shortlist: is the service transition about moving from one payroll provider to another, or about taking over and stabilising an existing network of UK and European providers? The former makes implementation and transformation experience especially important; the latter puts greater weight on vendor governance and service performance.