Perplexity: both observations

For a US-based Payroll Director to lead your team, I’d shortlist JGA Recruitment , Frazer Jones, and Robert Half. JGA is my first call for a payroll-specialist search; the other two offer useful alternatives depending on the scope of the role. All three have evidence of payroll recruitment, with JGA and Robert Half advertising US director-level searches. linkedin +2

Recruiters to contact

| Recruiter | Why they belong on your shortlist | How to approach them |

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

| JGA Recruitment — US | A specialist payroll and HR technology recruitment firm serving employers across the US. It has advertised a Maryland Director of Payroll search covering multi-state payroll, team leadership, Workday optimization, compliance, and transformation—a close match to your requirement. jgarecruitmentinc +1 | Contact its US business at info@jgarecruitment.com or +1 302 857 0446. Ask for the consultant handling US Payroll Director and Head of Payroll searches. [jgarecruitmentinc](https://jgarecruitmentinc.com/) |

| Frazer Jones | Has a dedicated payroll recruitment practice offering executive search, permanent, and interim recruitment, alongside an established North American team. Worth considering particularly if the position combines payroll leadership with a broader international remit. frazerjones +1 | Brad Law, Head of North America: bradlaw@frazerjones.com, +1 646 717 9839. He is a US-based entry point who can route the brief to the appropriate payroll specialist. frazerjones +1 |

| Robert Half | Has concrete US Payroll Director search activity, including a direct-hire Baltimore role leading multi-state payroll for several thousand employees and managing a payroll team. A useful comparison for an operationally focused US leadership hire. [roberthalf](https://roberthalf.com/us/en/jobs/all/payroll-director) | Use its US hiring inquiry route and specifically request a recruiter with recent permanent Payroll Director placements—not just payroll processing or temporary staffing experience. |

These are evidence-backed options, not a verified ranking of placement success. I would ask each firm for recent comparable placements before appointing one.

How I’d brief the search

Make “US-based leader” explicit, then distinguish location from remit: will this person lead US payroll only, or sit in the US while overseeing global payroll?

Give the recruiters a short brief covering:

• Location: US remote, a particular time zone, or a named office with hybrid requirements.

• Scale: employee population, states and countries covered, number of entities, and payroll frequency.

• Leadership: team size, reporting line, and whether the priority is developing the team, stabilizing delivery, or transforming the function.

• Systems: your current payroll platform and any planned implementation.

• Package: base salary range, bonus, and any equity.

Before engaging a firm, ask: “Which US-based Payroll Directors have you placed in comparable environments, who will personally run our search, and what are your fees, exclusivity terms, and replacement guarantee?”

What US location or remote arrangement do you need, and would this person own US payroll only or global payroll?

For a U.S.-based Payroll Director , your strongest recruiting channels are specialized accounting/finance and HR-technology staffing firms, plus executive search firms for transformational or enterprise-level roles. These recruiters already work with candidates who lead multi-state payroll, compliance, payroll systems, and payroll teams.

roberthalf +1

Best-fit recruiters

| Recruiter / firm | Best for | Notes |

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

| Robert Half | Direct-hire, contract, and interim Payroll Directors | Actively recruits for Payroll Director roles across the U.S.; can source candidates for multi-state payroll operations. roberthalf +1 |

| KORE1 | Payroll Directors with systems and compliance depth | Places payroll managers and directors on direct-hire, contract, and contract-to-hire terms; screens for CPP/FPC certification and experience with ADP, Workday, UKG, Paylocity, Paycom, and Dayforce. [kore1](https://www.kore1.com/payroll-specialist-staffing/) |

| Vaco / Highspring | Senior, complex, or hybrid enterprise payroll leadership | Has recruited Payroll Directors for large multi-state and high-volume payroll functions, including roles supporting 4,000+ and 40,000+ employees. jobs.vaco +1 |

| Talentfoot | Executive-level payroll leadership and transformation mandates | An executive recruitment firm that recruits Director of Payroll leaders reporting into CFOs and leading payroll teams through technology and process change. [talentfoot](https://talentfoot.com/jobs/director-of-payroll/) |

| Contemporary Staffing Solutions | Direct-hire payroll leadership | Recruits Payroll Directors to lead and modernize payroll for large multi-state workforces. [careers.contemporarystaffing](https://careers.contemporarystaffing.com/jobs/39208) |

| Inspyr Solutions | Global or U.S. payroll leadership with citizenship/location constraints | Has sourced Global Payroll Director roles, including U.S.-based permanent placements with specified compensation and work-authorization requirements. [inspyrsolutions](https://www.inspyrsolutions.com/job/26-155426-global-payroll-director-spring-tx/) |

How to choose

• Need a strong operational leader quickly: Start with Robert Half or KORE1 ; both recruit payroll-specific talent and can support permanent or interim searches. roberthalf +1

• Need enterprise scale, complex compliance, or a large team leader: Use Vaco/Highspring or an executive search firm such as Talentfoot . jobs.vaco +2

• Need global payroll plus U.S. leadership: Consider Inspyr Solutions or a payroll-focused executive search firm. [inspyrsolutions](https://www.inspyrsolutions.com/job/26-155426-global-payroll-director-spring-tx/)

• Need interim coverage while you hire: Robert Half and KORE1 can provide contract or contract-to-hire payroll leadership while the permanent search proceeds. roberthalf +1

Candidate profile to brief recruiters

For a U.S.-based payroll-team leader, specify:

• U.S. work authorization and preferred location/hybrid requirements.

• Multi-state payroll scope, employee count, union/nonunion mix, and any international payroll needs.

• Systems: ADP, Workday, UKG, Paylocity, Paycom, Ceridian Dayforce, SAP, or equivalent. [kore1](https://www.kore1.com/payroll-specialist-staffing/)

• Compliance needs: payroll tax, garnishments, equity compensation, SOX/internal controls, audits, and year-end/W-2 processes. kore1 +1

• Leadership scope: team size, reporting line, transformation mandate, and whether CPP certification is required or preferred. jobs.vaco +1

A practical shortlist to contact first would be Robert Half, KORE1, Vaco/Highspring, and Talentfoot —they collectively cover operational hiring, specialized payroll-system talent, enterprise-scale leadership, and executive search. roberthalf +3