Claude: both observations

I couldn’t find an independent ranking of payroll recruiters, so I can’t tell you who is “best”. The searches did show which firms are actively placing global payroll leadership roles in London, which is a better signal than a league table.

Strongest fits for a first global payroll lead

• JGA Recruitment: describes itself as a specialist UK and global payroll talent acquisition firm. They have also recently advertised a fully remote UK global payroll role at over £100K, so they work at your level. [jgarecruitment](https://jgarecruitment.com/?p=34) [studentjob](https://studentjob.co.uk/vacancies/5280719-global-payroll-expert-remote-uk-100k-in-bury)

• Frazer Jones (SR Group): a global HR recruiter operating across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and the USA. They have placed a newly created Global Payroll Manager role that led build-out of new jurisdictions, which is close to your brief. [personneltoday](https://jobs.personneltoday.com/job/1401651965/global-payroll-specialist/) [personneltoday](https://jobs.personneltoday.com/job/1401654798/global-payroll-specialist/)

• Oakleaf Partnership: has handled global payroll manager searches in central London that covered UK, EMEA and US payroll plus vendor management. These were mostly at investment firms and tech companies. [aicpa-cima](https://mycareer.aicpa-cima.com/job/4379601/global-payroll-manager/)

• Michael Page: has advertised a Head of Payroll role to build a global payroll function from scratch at a scaling tech business, at £100,000 to £140,000. That is a “first hire” profile like yours. [page](https://manufacturing.page.com/job-detail/head-payroll/ref/jn-092025-6830831)

Worth considering depending on the route

• Portfolio Payroll: a payroll-only recruiter with over 30 years’ experience and a CIPP corporate partnership. It is very strong on UK payroll talent, but its stated focus is the UK market, so check their international reach. [a-leads](https://a-leads.co/company/1310115_db8aecdb)

• Altum Consulting: has recruited for an interim Global Director of Payroll at a growing London tech business. Consider them if you want an interim to set things up while you search for a permanent hire. [itjobswatch](https://itjobswatch.co.uk/jv/Altum-Consulting/Interim-Director-of-Payroll-Job-London-South-East-England-UK-4w1wc9)

Questions to ask before you pick

• Placements: Ask for recent examples of first global payroll hires at companies of your size and stage.

• Network: Ask whether they can reach people with both a UK/EU and a North American payroll background.

• Fees: Ask whether they work on retained or contingent terms.

• Replacement guarantee: Ask what happens if the hire leaves early.

Two or three specialists on a contingent basis is a common way to start. A retained search makes more sense if the role is senior and confidential. I can draft a briefing document or a shortlist of questions for the first calls if that helps.

Based on what’s publicly visible, these are the firms I’d shortlist. “Best” is subjective, and I can’t verify placement quality or fees from public pages, so treat this as a starting list to vet.

Specialist payroll and executive search (most relevant for a first senior hire)

• Frazer Jones: A City of London HR executive search firm. Its head of payroll, John O’Brien, recruits executive payroll and benefits professionals with UK, EMEA and global remits, and the firm describes him as the UK’s leading executive payroll recruiter. It also has a New York presence, which helps given your North America growth. If I had to pick one first call, it would be this one. [frazerjones](https://frazerjones.com/consultants/john-obrien)

• Middlemore: A specialist executive search firm covering global payroll, HR, HRIS, finance and reward, with services including talent mapping and salary benchmarking. It’s listed in the Global Payroll Association’s directory, which suggests it’s embedded in the payroll community. [gpa](https://gpa.net/blogs/directory/middlemore)

• Olympus Talent: A retained executive search firm focused on global payroll leadership across 140+ countries. The awards and reach figures on its page are self-reported, so check references. [usemultiplier](https://www.usemultiplier.com/?p=199754)

Larger HR and finance recruiters with payroll desks

• Oakleaf Partnership: Regularly advertises Head of Global Payroll and EMEA payroll roles in the £75k–£100k range, so it clearly works this market.

• SR Group: A global HR recruiter with UK, European and US coverage, offering permanent and interim solutions. [personneltoday](https://jobs.personneltoday.com/job/1401587930/regional-head-of-payroll-governance-emea-and-americas/)

• Page Personnel, Michael Page and Hays: All advertise global payroll leadership roles. They’re better suited to a mid-market budget or faster, contingent-style searches than to a discreet senior search.

• Altum Consulting: Has recruited global payroll director roles for growing London tech businesses, including interim ones.

Choosing between them

• Retained or contingent: For a first global payroll lead, where you’re defining the function, a retained or hybrid search with one specialist usually beats several contingent agencies. You get better market mapping and a stronger pitch to passive candidates.

• Your footprint: Ask each firm for recent placements covering the UK, Europe and North America, and for examples of candidates who built a function from scratch rather than inherited one.

• Interim cover: Several of these firms also run interim desks, which could bridge the gap while the search runs.

• References: Ask for two or three client references from the last 12 months, and for time-to-fill and candidate-retention data.

I can draft a brief you could send to your shortlist, or a comparison of the questions to ask each firm.