ChatGPT: both observations

For a six-month interim Global Head of Payroll, I’d prioritise firms that specialise in payroll leadership rather than general finance recruitment. You need a partner who can do two things in parallel: find an immediately available senior interim with genuine multi-country payroll experience, and run a credible search for the permanent successor.

My recommendation is to approach four specialist firms first , then add a broader HR executive-search firm if your permanent role has a substantial global transformation or operating-model remit.

The recruitment firms I’d contact first

1. Oakleaf Partnership

Strong first call

A particularly relevant option for senior payroll leadership. Its dedicated payroll division explicitly covers interim and permanent recruitment, including Global Head of Payroll, Global Payroll Director and Interim Head of Payroll appointments. Oakleaf

Why contact them: They appear closely aligned with the exact seniority and dual interim/permanent brief you have.

Website: [Oakleaf Partnership — Payroll ](https://oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

2. Frazer Jones

A strong choice when you need specialist payroll recruitment combined with international reach and executive search capability. Its payroll practice covers permanent, interim, temporary and executive-level hiring, including international payroll leaders. Frazer Jones +1

Why contact them: Particularly worth considering if the permanent successor will lead a global function spanning multiple regions, business units or payroll providers.

Website: [Frazer Jones — Payroll recruitment](https://frazerjones.com/payroll/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

3. Portfolio Payroll

A payroll-focused recruitment specialist with dedicated teams for permanent, executive and temporary/contract recruitment. It explicitly recruits senior payroll leaders and offers interim cover while a permanent appointment is underway. Portfolio Payroll +1

Why contact them: A good option for building a shortlist quickly and comparing the availability of experienced interim candidates against the permanent talent pool.

Website: [Portfolio Payroll — Recruitment services](https://portfoliopayroll.com/payroll/recruitment-services/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

4. JGA Recruitment Group

A specialist payroll recruitment agency covering permanent, temporary and contract hiring. Its advertised role coverage includes Global Payroll Director, Payroll Director, Global Payroll Transformation Manager and Head of Payroll. JGA Recruitment

Why contact them: Particularly relevant if the interim will need to manage payroll transformation, system changes or a complex international payroll environment as well as business-as-usual delivery.

Website: [JGA Recruitment ](https://jgarecruitment.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Two additional firms worth approaching

The Leppington Group

A relevant specialist to consider for complex global payroll operations. Its payroll recruitment offering explicitly covers senior leadership, including Global Payroll Manager and Payroll Operations Director, as well as HR/payroll technology expertise and interim or contract coverage. The Leppington Group

Website: [The Leppington Group — Payroll talent ](https://theleppingtongroup.com/payroll-talent?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

McKinnon Talent

A smaller payroll-focused recruiter whose team advertises experience placing both interim and permanent payroll professionals, including Head of Payroll-level candidates. Mckinnon Talent

Website: [McKinnon Talent ](https://mckinnontalent.co.uk/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

How I would run the search

I would brief Oakleaf Partnership, Frazer Jones and Portfolio Payroll immediately, with JGA as a fourth firm. Ask each to run the interim and permanent workstreams concurrently, subject to agreeing the appropriate fee arrangements.

For the interim appointment, assess candidates against:

• Global scope: Experience overseeing multiple countries, payroll vendors and jurisdictions, not just UK payroll.

• Leadership: Evidence of leading a distributed payroll function and managing senior stakeholders across HR, Finance, Legal and IT.

• Operational resilience: Ability to take ownership quickly, maintain accurate and timely payroll, manage escalations and control compliance risk.

• Transformation: Experience with payroll technology, vendor consolidation, process standardisation or controls improvement, where relevant.

• Availability: Ability to start promptly and commit to the full six-month assignment.

For the permanent search, make sure the recruiter understands the long-term mandate, including the target operating model, geographic scope, reporting line, technology roadmap and expected leadership outcomes.

Suggested initial outreach

Email

Subject

Confidential search: Interim and permanent Global Head of Payroll

Hello,

We are seeking recruitment support for a senior payroll leadership appointment following the upcoming departure of our Global Head of Payroll.

We need to appoint an experienced interim leader for an initial six-month period to ensure continuity and effective oversight of our global payroll operations. In parallel, we intend to conduct a search for a permanent replacement.

We are looking for a specialist recruitment partner able to support both workstreams, with access to senior candidates who have demonstrable global or multi-country payroll leadership experience.

Could you please outline:

◦ Your availability of suitable interim candidates, including realistic start dates and indicative day rates.

◦ Your experience recruiting Global Heads of Payroll, Global Payroll Directors and comparable senior leaders.

◦ Your proposed approach, timeline and fees for the interim appointment and permanent search.

◦ Your experience with international payroll operating models, outsourced providers and payroll transformation, where applicable.

We would welcome an initial confidential discussion as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

[Your name]

One important distinction: a six-month interim leader is not necessarily the same profile as your permanent successor. The interim needs to stabilise and lead the function immediately; the permanent hire may need a broader transformation or strategic leadership capability. Brief the recruiters on both outcomes so that you do not compromise the permanent search simply to fill the immediate vacancy.

For a six-month leadership gap at Global Head of Payroll level, I’d prioritise recruiters with a proven payroll leadership network, access to experienced interim executives, and the ability to run a permanent executive search in parallel.

The key is to find someone who can take immediate accountability for global payroll operations — not simply a senior payroll manager who can keep the monthly cycle running.

My recommended shortlist

I’d start with these five firms, in this order, based on their publicly described specialisms and fit for your two-part brief.

1. Middlemore

Best for global payroll leadership

Middlemore specifically recruits global payroll talent across the UK, EMEA and US, covering interim and permanent senior leaders, global payroll transformation, governance, compliance, HRIS and vendor management. This is particularly relevant if the departing leader owns a multinational payroll operating model, not just UK payroll delivery. Middlemore +1

Contact: [Middlemore — Payroll Search](https://middlemore.co.uk/payroll-search/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

2. Oakleaf Partnership

Best for a like-for-like interim

Oakleaf explicitly advertises both interim and permanent payroll recruitment, and lists previous placements for Global Head of Payroll and Interim Head of Payroll. That is unusually close to your immediate requirement. Oakleaf +1

Contact: [Oakleaf — Payroll capabilities](https://www.oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Telephone: 020 7220 7030

3. Frazer Jones

A strong option when you want executive-level search capability alongside interim cover. Its payroll practice offers executive search, permanent hiring and interim or fractional payroll professionals, with an international HR recruitment network. Frazer Jones +1

Contact: [Frazer Jones — Payroll recruitment](https://www.frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

UK payroll contact listed: John O’Brien, Executive Director and Head of Payroll — +44 20 7415 2171.

4. Portfolio Payroll

A dedicated payroll recruiter with separate permanent, executive search and temporary/contract capabilities. It is worth testing for speed of interim delivery and the depth of its senior payroll candidate network. Portfolio Payroll +1

Contact: [Portfolio Payroll — Recruitment services](https://www.portfoliopayroll.com/payroll/recruitment-services/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Telephone: 020 7247 9455

5. JGA Recruitment Group

A payroll and HR recruitment specialist worth adding to the shortlist for its permanent, temporary and contract hiring capabilities. Ask specifically for senior global payroll leadership rather than assuming its broader payroll coverage extends to your level. CIPP +1

Contact: [JGA Recruitment Group](https://jgarecruitment.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Telephone: +44 1727 800377

How I would run the assignment

I would brief Middlemore, Oakleaf and Frazer Jones first, then use Portfolio Payroll as a further source of interim candidates. Ask each firm to demonstrate that it can deliver both parts of the assignment rather than treating them as separate generic vacancies.

| Requirement | What to ask for |

| --- | --- |

| Interim appointment | A shortlist of available senior leaders within days, with realistic start dates and six-month availability |

| Global scope | Direct accountability for multiple countries, payroll providers, controls, escalations and local compliance |

| Transformation | Experience with payroll consolidation, vendor transitions, HRIS or global payroll technology, if relevant to your business |

| Permanent search | A mapped target market, discreet outreach to passive candidates and a clear search timetable |

| Handover | An interim leader who can document the operating model and support the permanent hire's transition |

A suggested opening brief

You could send the following to the firms:

Email

Subject

Confidential: Interim Global Head of Payroll and permanent executive search

We are seeking a senior interim Global Head of Payroll for an initial six-month assignment, alongside a search for a permanent replacement. The interim will need to provide immediate leadership continuity, oversee global payroll operations and controls, manage key stakeholders and payroll providers, and maintain operational stability while the permanent search progresses. We are looking for candidates with demonstrable international payroll leadership experience, ideally in a complex, multi-country organisation. Please confirm:

◦ Whether you have immediately available candidates who could undertake a six-month assignment.

◦ Relevant experience placing interim Global Heads of Payroll or equivalent senior leaders.

◦ Your proposed approach and timetable for the permanent executive search.

◦ Your fees, candidate guarantees and terms for running both assignments in parallel.

Please share an initial view of candidate availability and the likely search timeline before we arrange a briefing call. Kind regards,

[Your name]

One important question before you appoint a firm

How many countries does the Global Head of Payroll cover, and is the role primarily operational or transformation-led?

That distinction will determine whether I would lean most heavily on a global-payroll specialist such as Middlemore, or prioritise a broader interim and executive-search partner with a stronger leadership-transition focus.