Perplexity
JGA recommended.

Yes—use a specialist interim payroll executive-search firm , not a general temporary-staffing agency. For a six-month Global Payroll Director cover role, the best-fit providers are those that explicitly place senior/fractional payroll leaders and can source candidates who own governance, vendors, compliance, and stakeholder management rather than process payroll. frazerjones +1

Best-fit providers

| Provider | Why suitable | Best use |

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

| Frazer Jones | Offers dedicated interim and fractional payroll recruitment, with global payroll talent networks and executive search capability; places roles up to global payroll manager and consultant level. [frazerjones](https://www.frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/) | Strong first call for a senior interim Global Payroll Director with a six-month mandate. |

| The Portfolio Group / Portfolio Payroll | Recruits across the payroll function through Payroll Director level and explicitly supports interim specialists while a permanent hire is sought. [theportfoliogroup](https://www.theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/) | Good for a targeted interim search and market-rate benchmarking. |

| The Leppington Group (TLG Talent) | Focuses on senior payroll leadership—Head of Payroll, Global Payroll Manager, and Payroll Operations Director—and offers interim/contract coverage through a curated network. [theleppingtongroup](https://www.theleppingtongroup.com/payroll-talent) | Useful if you want a discreet, relationship-led search for a true leader rather than a broad candidate pool. |

| JGA Recruitment | Specialises in permanent, temporary, and contract payroll recruitment in the UK and internationally, including defining requirements and managing the process to offer. [jgarecruitment](https://jgarecruitment.com/blog/how-long-does-payroll-recruitment-take-a-realistic-uk-hiring-timeline/) | Good option for a fast, specialist contingent search. |

| Oakleaf Partnership | Has an interim business covering HR, reward, and payroll, including interim head/director-level roles. [oakleafpartnership](https://www.oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/interim) | Worth including if the mandate overlaps with HR transformation, reward, or wider people-function leadership. |

How to brief them

Make clear that you need an interim Global Payroll Director / Head of Global Payroll , engaged for approximately six months, with accountability for:

• Global payroll operating model, controls, compliance, and reporting.

• Third-party payroll vendors, multi-country providers, and in-house/shared-service teams.

• Executive and Finance/HR stakeholder management.

• Continuity during the permanent recruitment process, plus a clean handover.

• Optionally: payroll transformation, system migration, or post-acquisition integration.

Avoid describing it as “temporary payroll support”: that language tends to attract processing, administration, and compliance-cover candidates. The distinction matters because providers such as activpayroll explicitly position interim support around operational processing and administration, which is not the leadership cover you need.

[activpayroll](https://www.activpayroll.com/global-payroll/interim-uk-payroll-support)

Practical approach

1. Approach two or three specialist firms in parallel —for example Frazer Jones, Portfolio Payroll, and TLG Talent—and ask each for candidate profiles within 3–5 working days. frazerjones +2

2. Specify day rate and engagement model : typically an interim contractor via umbrella/PAYE or a fixed-term contract; current market examples for senior global payroll interim roles include roughly £350–£400 per day for a Global Payroll Manager and £500–£550 per day for an EMEA Payroll Project Manager, so a Director-level mandate may sit at or above that range depending on scope. jooble +1

3. Require proof of leadership scope , not just payroll knowledge: number of countries, employee population, vendors managed, team size, audit/compliance ownership, and examples of stabilising a payroll function during transition.

4. Build a handover clause into the six-month term , so the interim director can onboard the permanent Head of Global Payroll and transfer vendor, control, and stakeholder knowledge.

For the fastest credible route, start with Frazer Jones for interim/fractional payroll leadership and Portfolio Payroll for breadth; add TLG Talent if you prefer a confidential, network-based senior search. frazerjones +2