JGA STUDY · SAVED-TEXT EVIDENCE EXPORT Original answer wording and recorded date preserved. Answer ID: S04-B-perplexity-r2 Recorded UTC: 2026-10-20T22:03:04.208Z Product: Perplexity Observation: 2 Collection country: UK Access: Dedicated signed-in / Free Model label: Search; automatic/default Model; underlying model not disclosed Mode: Free Search; native Incognito; default Model undisclosed; no Free advanced-search preview notice visible in this completed answer EXACT QUESTION Who recruits senior payroll change leaders in the UK? We need someone to lead a multi-country payroll system implementation, not just run monthly payroll. FULL SAVED ANSWER For a multi-country payroll system implementation leader , use specialist payroll-recruitment firms and HR-transformation executive-search firms—not general finance recruiters. The strongest UK options are Portfolio Payroll, JGA Recruitment, Oakleaf Partnership, Annapurna Recruitment, and McKinnon Talent ; for a very senior, high-impact appointment, pair one of them with an HR/HRIS transformation search firm. Best-fit UK recruiters | Recruiter | Why they fit | Evidence of relevant coverage | | --- | --- | --- | | Portfolio Payroll / The Portfolio Group | Likely the first call: it describes itself as the UK’s largest specialist payroll recruiter and has dedicated permanent, executive, and interim/contract consultants. It explicitly recruits payroll directors, heads of payroll, and payroll systems-implementation specialists. theportfoliogroup +1 | It has advertised a global payroll transformation lead at £120k–£140k for an 18–24 month programme involving global payroll consolidation, an SSC, vendor migration, and multi-country change. [passion-project.co](https://www.passion-project.co.uk/jobs/286507) | | Oakleaf Partnership | Strong choice for permanent or interim senior hires; its payroll practice covers Global Payroll Implementation Managers and Global Payroll Directors, and it sources internationally as well as in the UK. [oakleafpartnership](https://www.oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities) | Particularly useful if you need an implementation programme lead on a fixed term or interim basis. | | JGA Recruitment Group | Specialist London payroll/HR recruiter with demonstrable global and EMEA payroll search activity, including roles leading multi-country payroll and transformation. talents.studysmarter.co +1 | Good for Heads of Global/EMEA Payroll and transformation-capable operational leaders. | | Annapurna Recruitment | Has recruited a Head of Global Payroll responsible for Europe, US and APAC, global transformation, provider optimisation, HRIS integration, and new-country launches. [annapurnarecruitment](https://www.annapurnarecruitment.com/job/head-of-payroll-global-650010/) | Strong for a permanent leader who must combine payroll depth with transformation delivery. | | McKinnon Talent | UK specialist payroll recruiter covering senior leadership across in-house, outsourced, bureau, and accountancy environments. [mckinnontalent.co](https://www.mckinnontalent.co.uk/) | Useful as a secondary search partner to widen the candidate pool. | | Accounting Recruitment | Positions itself around payroll specialists who lead payroll technology transformation, cloud migration, and automation. [accountingrecruitment](https://accountingrecruitment.uk/payroll-specialist/) | Worth including for systems-led implementation profiles. | How to brief them Ask for a Global Payroll Transformation Lead / Programme Director , not a “Head of Payroll” unless the role also owns ongoing operations. The target profile should include: • End-to-end delivery of a global payroll platform or provider implementation: discovery, design, configuration, data migration, testing/UAT, parallel runs, go-live, stabilisation, and handover. Mondi’s Global Payroll Transformation Lead role is a useful benchmark for this scope. [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/global-payroll-transformation-lead-at-mondi-group-4385246720) • Multi-country payroll knowledge across jurisdictions, local compliance, cross-border data, statutory reporting, and payroll-provider governance. [globalhris.co](https://www.globalhris.co.uk/) • Experience leading change across HR, Finance, IT/HRIS, works councils or employee representatives, local payroll teams, and external vendors. [linkedin](https://uk.linkedin.com/jobs/view/global-payroll-transformation-lead-at-haleon-4157022203) • Programme governance: plans, stage gates, risk and issue management, reporting, and stakeholder alignment. [linkedin](https://uk.linkedin.com/jobs/view/global-payroll-transformation-lead-at-haleon-4157022203) • Experience moving from decentralised payrolls to a shared-service or centrally governed model, if that is your target operating model. [passion-project.co](https://www.passion-project.co.uk/jobs/286507) Practical search strategy 1. Run a dual-track search: Portfolio Payroll or Oakleaf for specialist payroll talent; Annapurna or a broader HR-transformation search firm for candidates from HR transformation, Workday/SuccessFactors/Dayforce implementation, or shared-services programmes. 2. Use interim capability for delivery risk: Portfolio and Oakleaf both handle interim/contract senior payroll roles; this is sensible if the implementation has a defined 12–24 month horizon. theportfoliogroup +2 3. Screen out monthly-payroll-only profiles: require named examples of at least one multi-country implementation, the countries and payroll providers involved, parallel-run approach, data-migration approach, and post-go-live controls. 4. Test programme leadership separately: ask candidates to walk through a country-wave rollout, integration dependencies, failure modes, and how they managed vendor and local-team accountability. 5. Consider a fractional or advisory bridge: firms such as Global HRIS provide payroll project delivery, testing, data migration, and implementation support, which can supplement an internal hire during the most intensive phase. globalhris.co +1 For your requirement, I would start with Portfolio Payroll and Oakleaf Partnership , then add Annapurna if the role is permanent and genuinely global. 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