JGA STUDY · SAVED-TEXT EVIDENCE EXPORT Original answer wording and recorded date preserved. Answer ID: S07-B-perplexity-r2 Recorded UTC: 2026-10-21T12:28:03.020Z 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 preview or upgrade notice observed EXACT QUESTION Which recruiters can help a medium-sized UK business replace a Payroll Manager who is leaving? We need someone to take over the day-to-day UK payroll work on a permanent basis. FULL SAVED ANSWER For a medium-sized UK business hiring a permanent, hands-on Payroll Manager , start with specialist payroll recruiters rather than general finance agencies. The strongest options are Portfolio Payroll , Hays , Robert Half , Oakleaf Partnership , Frazer Jones , and McKinnon Talent . hays.co +5 Best-fit recruiters | Recruiter | Why they fit | Permanent payroll coverage | | --- | --- | --- | | Portfolio Payroll | A dedicated payroll recruiter with separate permanent, temporary/contract, and executive teams; recruits Payroll Managers through to Heads of Payroll and supports in-house and bureau employers. theportfoliogroup +1 | UK-wide, with London and Manchester offices. [theportfoliogroup](https://www.theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/) | | Hays | Large UK recruiter with dedicated payroll consultants and nearly 70 UK offices; recruits payroll managers and related roles on a permanent basis. [hays.co](https://www.hays.co.uk/jobs/accountancy-finance/payroll) | Strong nationwide reach. [hays.co](https://www.hays.co.uk/jobs/accountancy-finance/payroll) | | Robert Half | Finance and accounting recruiter that actively places permanent Payroll Managers, including end-to-end UK payroll, BACS/Faster Payments, pensions, and team management. roberthalf +1 | National finance-recruitment network. [roberthalf](https://www.roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/england/payroll-manager) | | Oakleaf Partnership | Dedicated payroll consultancy placing permanent and interim roles from administrators to Payroll Managers and Directors; consultants include people with payroll/accounts backgrounds. [oakleafpartnership](https://www.oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities) | Full UK coverage. [oakleafpartnership](https://www.oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities) | | Frazer Jones | HR-specialist recruiter with payroll executive and permanent recruitment services; can source sole UK Payroll Managers and interim cover if the departure creates a gap. [frazerjones](https://www.frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/) | Global HR network, including UK payroll leadership roles. [frazerjones](https://www.frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/) | | McKinnon Talent | Smaller, payroll-only UK recruiter covering entry-level through senior leadership across in-house, outsourced, bureau, and accountancy environments. [mckinnontalent.co](https://www.mckinnontalent.co.uk/) | UK-wide specialist focus. [mckinnontalent.co](https://www.mckinnontalent.co.uk/) | How to brief them Ask each agency for candidates who can own the payroll cycle , not merely supervise it. Your vacancy brief should specify: • Payroll frequency and headcount: monthly/weekly, number of employees, multiple entities or PAYE schemes. • Systems: Sage, Iris, ADP, Workday, Dayforce, BrightPay, or other payroll/HRIS platforms. • Scope: RTI submissions, statutory payments, pensions auto-enrolment, benefits, P11Ds, year-end, HMRC queries, BACS/Faster Payments, reconciliations, and journals. • Team context: whether they will manage payroll administrators or work as a sole charge payroller. • Reporting line and split: HR, Finance, or shared responsibility. • Permanent salary range, location/hybrid policy, notice period, and start date. Practical approach Use two or three specialist agencies in parallel —for example, Portfolio Payroll, Hays, and Oakleaf—and ask each for a shortlist within 5–10 working days. If the outgoing manager has a short notice period, ask the same agencies about interim payroll cover while the permanent search runs; Portfolio, Oakleaf, and Frazer Jones all offer interim or temporary payroll recruitment. theportfoliogroup +2 For a medium-sized business, prioritise candidates with end-to-end UK payroll ownership , strong HMRC/RTI and pensions knowledge, payroll-system proficiency, and evidence of managing month-end, year-end, and audit or compliance work. SOURCES S07-B-perplexity-r2-G01-1 | supporting_citation | https://hays.co.uk/jobs/accountancy-finance/payroll S07-B-perplexity-r2-G01-2 | supporting_citation | https://roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/england/payroll-manager S07-B-perplexity-r2-G01-3 | supporting_citation | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/recruitment-services/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-G01-4 | supporting_citation | https://oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities S07-B-perplexity-r2-G01-5 | supporting_citation | https://frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-G01-6 | supporting_citation | https://mckinnontalent.co.uk/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-G02-1 | supporting_citation | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/recruitment-services/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-G02-2 | supporting_citation | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-G03-1 | supporting_citation | https://roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/london-london/global-payroll-manager S07-B-perplexity-r2-G03-2 | supporting_citation | https://roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/england/payroll-manager S07-B-perplexity-r2-G04-1 | supporting_citation | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/recruitment-services/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-G04-2 | supporting_citation | https://oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities S07-B-perplexity-r2-G04-3 | supporting_citation | https://frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-D1 | supporting_citation | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-D2 | supporting_citation | https://hays.co.uk/jobs/accountancy-finance/payroll S07-B-perplexity-r2-D3 | supporting_citation | https://hays.co.uk/jobs/accountancy-finance/payroll S07-B-perplexity-r2-D4 | supporting_citation | https://roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/england/payroll-manager S07-B-perplexity-r2-D5 | supporting_citation | https://oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities S07-B-perplexity-r2-D6 | supporting_citation | https://oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities S07-B-perplexity-r2-D7 | supporting_citation | https://frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-D8 | supporting_citation | https://frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-D9 | supporting_citation | https://mckinnontalent.co.uk/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-D10 | supporting_citation | https://mckinnontalent.co.uk/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-R1 | retrieved_result | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/recruitment-services/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-R2 | retrieved_result | https://hays.co.uk/jobs/accountancy-finance/payroll S07-B-perplexity-r2-R3 | retrieved_result | https://roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/england/payroll-manager S07-B-perplexity-r2-R4 | retrieved_result | https://oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities S07-B-perplexity-r2-R5 | retrieved_result | https://frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-R6 | retrieved_result | https://mckinnontalent.co.uk/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-R7 | retrieved_result | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/ S07-B-perplexity-r2-R8 | retrieved_result | https://roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/london-london/global-payroll-manager S07-B-perplexity-r2-R9 | retrieved_result | https://roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/city-of-london/payroll S07-B-perplexity-r2-R10 | retrieved_result | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/register-a-vacancy/