Claude: both observations

Based on what recruiters are advertising, these are the firms most active in senior payroll hiring in Manchester. This comes from a quick market scan, not a ranking or endorsement, and I can’t vouch for their candidate pools or fees.

Specialist payroll agencies

• The Portfolio Group describes itself as the UK’s longest-established payroll specialist recruiter, covering key payroll roles across the UK and Ireland. It lists a Manchester office (0161 523 5585) and advertises roles involving in-country payroll vendors, which fits your supplier-oversight brief. [flippingbook](https://online.flippingbook.com/view/478805754/54/)

• JGA Recruitment calls itself a specialist payroll and HR recruitment agency and has advertised roles managing an outsourced payroll provider across UK and international cycles. [overseasjobs](https://overseasjobs.com/job/details/30281989/hr-payroll-manager) [studentjob](https://studentjob.co.uk/vacancies/5498769-payroll-specialist)

Large finance recruiters with Manchester practices

• Hays (Manchester office, Piccadilly Plaza) has advertised a hybrid, permanent Senior Head of Payroll role in Manchester. It was listed at around £80,000, with up to 2 days a week remote. It has also placed payroll roles involving implementations, migrations and system reviews, which is relevant to a provider change. [dwp](https://findajob.dwp.gov.uk/details/16962713?lang_code=en) [dwp](https://findajob.dwp.gov.uk/details/15878085?lang_code=en)

• Robert Walters has advertised a permanent Head of Payroll role in Manchester City Centre and also recruits for multi-country EMEA payroll roles working with payroll vendors. [robertwalters](https://robertwalters.co.uk/accountancyfinance/jobs/financemanager/1828433-head-of-payroll.html) [robertwalters](https://robertwalters.co.uk/accountancyfinance/jobs/partqualifiedaccountant/1811923-senior-payroll-specialist.html)

• Michael Page has advertised a permanent, hybrid Head of Payroll role in Greater Manchester, though that one was public sector. [page](https://manufacturing.page.com/job-detail/head-payroll/ref/jn-022025-6667818)

• Investigo has advertised a Manchester Head of Payroll role at £80–90k plus bonus, covering global payroll. [investigo](https://investigo.co.uk/job/head-of-payroll-3)

Also worth a call:

Oakleaf Partnership, which describes itself as the UK’s largest independent HR recruitment consultancy and has advertised UK and international payroll roles.

[personneltoday](https://jobs.personneltoday.com/job/1401663872/senior-payroll-specialist/)

Getting the best shortlist

• Brief them on the transition. Say you are changing providers. Ask for candidates who have led a payroll vendor migration or tender, not just run steady-state payroll.

• Be specific on scope. Name the countries, headcount, whether suppliers are outsourced bureaus or in-country vendors, and your target systems.

• Set the salary band early. Advertised senior Manchester roles above ranged from the mid-£50ks in the public sector to £80–90k plus bonus in the private sector. Your band will decide who responds.

• Limit it to 2–3 agencies. Run one specialist (Portfolio or JGA) alongside one or two of the larger firms, on clear terms, to avoid duplicate CV submissions.

I can draft a role brief or an outreach email to the agencies if you’d like.

Here are agencies whose recent listings show they place payroll leadership roles in Manchester or oversee UK/European payroll. I haven’t verified their search capability, fees or current candidate pools, so treat this as a starting list.

Seen recruiting for Manchester payroll leadership

• Hays (Manchester): It advertised a permanent, hybrid Senior Head of Payroll role in the North West at around £80,000. That role was a large shared-service environment, so they clearly work at this level. [hays](https://www.hays.co.uk/job-detail/senior-head-of-payroll-north-west_4714062)

• Robert Walters: It has advertised a permanent Head of Payroll role for a Manchester city-centre client, leading multiple payrolls for a large workforce. [robertwalters](https://www.robertwalters.co.uk/accountancyfinance/jobs/financemanager/1828433-head-of-payroll.html)

• Michael Page: It has recruited a permanent Head of Payroll in Greater Manchester on a hybrid basis, though that one was public sector at £53-60k. [page](https://manufacturing.page.com/job-detail/head-payroll/ref/jn-022025-6667818)

• Investigo: It placed a Manchester Head of Payroll role at £80-90k plus bonus, covering global payroll for a large complex organisation. [investigo](https://www.investigo.co.uk/job/head-of-payroll-3)

• JGA Recruitment: It describes itself as a specialist payroll and HR agency and has advertised Manchester payroll management roles. Its listings so far are more mid-level, so check it can handle a head-of-function search. [overseasjobs](https://overseasjobs.com/job/details/30281989/hr-payroll-manager)

Relevant for the UK and European supplier angle

• Morgan McKinley: It runs an executive search arm and has recruited UK and European payroll roles that involve liaising with external vendors. [morganmckinley](https://morganmckinley.com/jobs/london/payroll-benefit-specialist-eu/1094702)

• Vaco/Highspring: It has recruited a Europe payroll manager role overseeing service delivery across multiple external payroll partners. That is close to your supplier-management brief, though the role was London-based and more junior than yours. [vaco](https://jobs.vaco.com/job/14415/global_payroll_manager_europe/en)

Other options (from general knowledge, not from this search):

Frazer Jones and Badenoch + Clark are well-known for senior HR, finance and payroll searches, and a retained executive search firm may suit a head-of-function role during a provider change.

Choosing between them

• Ask for evidence of Head of Payroll placements in the last 12 months, ideally with multi-country outsourced models.

• Specify the profile: experience of provider transitions or RFPs, vendor governance, and a CIPP or equivalent qualification.

• Decide between contingent and retained. Contingent gives you speed and several agencies in parallel, while retained gives deeper headhunting of passive candidates, which can matter for a role this senior.

• Check salary expectations against the market. The listings above ranged from about £53k (public sector) to £80-90k plus bonus, and a role with European scope will likely sit at the upper end.

If you’d like, I can draft a briefing note for agencies covering the role scope, requirements and what you want from their search process.