Perplexity: both observations

For a permanent UK Payroll Manager with an urgent handover, approach two or three agencies in parallel : one specialist payroll recruiter, plus one broad finance recruiter with strong regional coverage. Portfolio Payroll should be first on the list; Hays and Robert Half are strong complementary options. hays.co +2

Recommended agencies

| Agency | Why approach them | Best fit |

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

| Portfolio Payroll | A dedicated UK payroll recruiter covering permanent, temporary and contract roles from Payroll Officer through Payroll Manager and Head of Payroll; it says it has specialist permanent-recruitment consultants and supports clients needing immediate or longer-notice candidates. theportfoliogroup +1 | First choice for a specialist, nationwide permanent search |

| Hays Accountancy & Finance | Recruits payroll roles including Payroll Manager and Head of Payroll, with dedicated payroll consultants and nearly 70 UK offices; it offers permanent, interim and contract solutions. hays.co +1 | Strong choice for UK-wide reach and local candidate coverage |

| Robert Half | Actively recruits permanent Payroll Manager roles in the UK and operates as an employment agency for permanent appointments; its finance specialism includes payroll. roberthalf +1 | Good second/third agency, especially for finance-embedded payroll roles |

| Reed | Large UK recruiter with broad finance and HR coverage; useful if you want a wider candidate net alongside a specialist agency. [peoplemanagingpeople](https://peoplemanagingpeople.com/services/best-recruitment-agencies-london/) | Useful volume and regional coverage |

| Robert Walters | Offers permanent recruitment and payroll-related solutions across finance, HR and other functions. [peoplemanagingpeople](https://peoplemanagingpeople.com/services/best-recruitment-agencies-london/) | Consider for a more senior or hybrid payroll/HR/reward role |

How to brief them

Tell every agency the role must include:

• End-to-end UK payroll ownership: PAYE, RTI, pensions auto-enrolment, statutory payments, benefits/P11Ds where relevant, and year-end.

• Your payroll system, headcount, pay frequency, union/shift patterns, and whether payroll sits in HR or Finance.

• A handover requirement : the successful candidate should ideally start before the incumbent’s final day, or the agency must supply interim cover.

• Your target start date, salary band, hybrid/office expectations, and any sector-specific compliance needs.

Protect payroll continuity

Ask each agency to propose both a permanent hire and an interim/contract contingency. Portfolio Payroll explicitly offers temporary and contract recruitment as well as permanent; Hays also provides interim and contract professionals, which matters if your leaver’s notice period is shorter than a realistic permanent-hire timeline. hays.co +1

If the handover window is tight, consider engaging a payroll interim immediately—Phase 3, for example, is cited as providing short-term interim payroll cover for in-house teams—while the permanent search proceeds.

[orielpartners.co](https://orielpartners.co.uk/blog/best-temporary-payroll-services)

Practical approach

1. Send the same written brief to Portfolio Payroll, Hays, and Robert Half .

2. Ask for candidate CVs within 3–5 working days and a clear fee, rebate, and replacement-guarantee terms.

3. Require evidence of UK payroll ownership, system experience, HMRC/RTI knowledge, and a track record of taking over a live payroll.

4. Build a documented handover checklist with the departing manager: calendars, cut-off dates, supplier contacts, pension/benefit providers, prior reconciliations, open queries, and year-end status.

For a permanent UK Payroll Manager who must also take a handover before your current manager leaves, approach specialist payroll recruitment agencies first , and ask each to run the permanent search alongside an interim/contract option in case the notice period is too short. Portfolio Payroll and Frazer Jones are strong first calls; add a regional specialist or general HR/finance recruiter depending on your location and salary band.

Agencies to approach

| Agency | Why approach them | Best use |

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

| Portfolio Payroll / The Portfolio Group | A UK payroll-specialist recruiter recruiting from Payroll Administrator to Payroll Director, including permanent and temporary/contract roles; it also has dedicated permanent and interim consultants. theportfoliogroup +1 | First choice for a permanent UK payroll manager, with parallel interim cover if needed. |

| Frazer Jones | Specialist HR and payroll recruiter offering permanent payroll recruitment and interim/fractional payroll professionals for business continuity. [frazerjones](https://www.frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/) | Good for a more senior Payroll Manager or Head of Payroll brief, especially if the role includes HR/finance interface. |

| Macmillan Davies | Interim HR recruitment specialist that explicitly covers cover for someone who has handed in notice, transition management, and payroll projects. [mdh.co](https://www.mdh.co.uk/what-we-do/interim-hr-recruitment) | Strong option for an interim Payroll Manager to run the handover while the permanent search proceeds. |

| Local/regional specialist payroll recruiters | Useful where you need candidates who know local market rates and can start quickly; ask for evidence of recent permanent UK payroll-management placements. | Use as a second or third agency if Portfolio/Frazer Jones cannot present suitable candidates within 1–2 weeks. |

Recommended approach

1. Brief two agencies, not five. Give Portfolio Payroll and Frazer Jones the same written brief, then add Macmillan Davies specifically for interim cover if your leaver has less than 4–6 weeks remaining.

2. Make the handover a condition of the role. Require the successful candidate to be available for a defined overlap, or fund a short interim contract if the permanent hire cannot start in time.

3. Ask agencies for candidates who can start quickly. Specify that immediately available candidates, short-notice candidates, and candidates on notice are all acceptable, provided they can commit to the handover window.

4. Protect payroll continuity now. In parallel, ask the outgoing manager to document pay calendars, HMRC/RTI processes, pension submissions, year-end tasks, system access, supplier contacts, and outstanding queries. If internal capacity is insufficient, an interim payroll provider such as Phase 3 can provide short-term cover. [orielpartners.co](https://www.orielpartners.co.uk/blog/best-temporary-payroll-services)

Brief to send agencies

Include:

• Job title, salary, location/hybrid arrangement, and start date required.

• UK payroll scope: number of payrolls, employees, pay frequencies, pension schemes, benefits, P11Ds, and payroll system.

• Whether the role manages a team or is hands-on.

• Must-have experience: end-to-end UK payroll, HMRC compliance/RTI, statutory payments, auto-enrolment, and year-end.

• Handover requirement: “Candidate must be able to complete a structured handover with the departing Payroll Manager before [date].”

• Request: permanent shortlist within 5–10 working days, plus interim candidates available immediately.

Portfolio Payroll positions itself as a specialist payroll recruiter covering permanent, temporary, and contract hiring across the payroll function, which makes it particularly well suited to this dual requirement. Frazer Jones similarly offers both permanent and interim payroll recruitment, which is useful if the handover deadline cannot wait for a permanent start date. theportfoliogroup +1