JGA STUDY · SAVED-TEXT EVIDENCE EXPORT Original answer wording and recorded date preserved. Answer ID: S08-B-perplexity-r1 Recorded UTC: 2026-10-19T21:34:34.025Z Product: Perplexity Observation: 1 Collection country: UK Access: Dedicated signed-in / Free Model label: Search; automatic/default Model Mode: Free plan Search; native Incognito; underlying model not disclosed EXACT QUESTION Which recruiters can help a US company hire a UK-based EMEA payroll head? We need European payroll leadership experience and someone comfortable working with a US headquarters. FULL SAVED ANSWER For a UK-based EMEA Head of Payroll reporting into a US HQ, prioritize specialist payroll executive-search firms with demonstrable EMEA/global payroll networks—not general HR recruiters. The strongest shortlist is below. Best-fit recruiters | Recruiter | Why they fit | Best use | | --- | --- | --- | | Frazer Jones | A global HR recruitment and executive-search consultancy with a dedicated payroll practice; it explicitly recruits EMEA payroll managers and senior payroll leaders. [frazerjones](https://frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/) | First call for a retained or senior permanent search; ask for its Global/EMEA Payroll & Operations team. | | JGA Recruitment Group | Specialist payroll and HR executive-search firm; its leadership says it supports organizations across the UK, EMEA, and North America, including director/C-suite payroll roles. [seniorexecutive](https://seniorexecutive.com/profile/Nick-Day-CEO-%7C-Podcast-Host-%7C-Author-%7C-Keynote-Speaker-8-The-Green-STE-B-Dover-Delaware-19901-USA/97f3c364-2f53-4e82-bd8b-52c2ae6ad6e2) | Strong option for a leadership search requiring both UK presence and cross-border payroll exposure. | | Portfolio Payroll | Describes itself as the UK’s largest specialist payroll recruiter and recruits Heads of Payroll, Payroll Directors, EMEA Payroll Specialists/Managers, and Global Heads of Payroll & Benefits; it also offers executive search. theportfoliogroup +1 | Good for a broad UK/EMEA candidate map and permanent or interim leadership hires. | | Middlemore | London-based specialist executive search and recruitment firm focused on Global Payroll, HR, HRIS, Finance, and Reward; serves complex global enterprises and offers executive search, talent mapping, and benchmarking. [Trusted domain gpa](https://gpa.net/blogs/directory/middlemore) | Best when you want a discreet, search-led process and market intelligence on compensation and competitor talent. | | Goodman Masson | London firm with executive-search capability and an explicit EMEA Payroll Specialist practice. [goodmanmasson](https://goodmanmasson.com/) | Worth including for comparison, especially if the role blends payroll leadership with finance transformation. | How to brief them Ask each firm to target candidates who have: • Led payroll across multiple EMEA jurisdictions, including UK, Ireland, and continental Europe. • Managed in-house payroll plus payroll vendors, EORs, and local providers. • Experience with payroll transformation, HCM/HRIS integration, compliance, and governance. • Worked with a US parent company, including US-GAAP or US finance stakeholders, time-zone overlap, and matrix reporting. • Built or scaled an EMEA payroll function rather than only processing payroll. Suggested approach 1. Run 2–3 searches in parallel: Frazer Jones, JGA, and either Middlemore or Portfolio Payroll. 2. Use a retained executive search if this is a true Head/Director role with transformation, vendor-consolidation, or multi-country compliance responsibility. 3. Request a talent map first: target companies with US HQs, shared-service centers, or major EMEA payroll transformations. 4. Screen for HQ-fit explicitly: require examples of influencing US leadership, managing cultural and time-zone differences, and translating European payroll complexity into executive-ready decisions. For this mandate, I would start with Frazer Jones and JGA as the most directly aligned specialist options, then add Middlemore if you want a more executive-search-led process. gpa +2 SOURCES S08-B-perplexity-r1-C1 | supporting_citation | https://frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-C2 | supporting_citation | https://seniorexecutive.com/profile/Nick-Day-CEO-%7C-Podcast-Host-%7C-Author-%7C-Keynote-Speaker-8-The-Green-STE-B-Dover-Delaware-19901-USA/97f3c364-2f53-4e82-bd8b-52c2ae6ad6e2 S08-B-perplexity-r1-C3 | supporting_citation | https://gpa.net/blogs/directory/middlemore S08-B-perplexity-r1-C4 | supporting_citation | https://goodmanmasson.com/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R1 | retrieved_result | https://frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R2 | retrieved_result | https://seniorexecutive.com/profile/Nick-Day-CEO-%7C-Podcast-Host-%7C-Author-%7C-Keynote-Speaker-8-The-Green-STE-B-Dover-Delaware-19901-USA/97f3c364-2f53-4e82-bd8b-52c2ae6ad6e2 S08-B-perplexity-r1-R3 | retrieved_result | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R4 | retrieved_result | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/why-use-us/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R5 | retrieved_result | https://gpa.net/blogs/directory/middlemore S08-B-perplexity-r1-R6 | retrieved_result | https://goodmanmasson.com/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R7 | retrieved_result | https://remotepeople.com/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R8 | retrieved_result | https://roberthalf.com/gb/en/jobs/wokingham-berkshire/global-payroll-manager S08-B-perplexity-r1-R9 | retrieved_result | https://tiger-recruitment.com/looking-to-recruit/hr/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R10 | retrieved_result | https://globalrecruitmentexperts.com/area-of-expertise/human-resources/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R11 | retrieved_result | https://jn-recruitment.com/global-recruitment-agency/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R12 | retrieved_result | https://eu-recruit.com/client-services/contractor-payroll/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R13 | retrieved_result | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/recruitment-services/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R14 | retrieved_result | https://tiger-recruitment.com/employer-of-record/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R15 | retrieved_result | https://linkedin.com/in/john-o-brien-mrec-aat-7b8b3737 S08-B-perplexity-r1-R16 | retrieved_result | https://linkedin.com/in/tariq-batanoni-mirp-134599a S08-B-perplexity-r1-R17 | retrieved_result | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/jobs/head-of-payroll-hr-3/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R18 | retrieved_result | https://linkedin.com/in/pauldargavel S08-B-perplexity-r1-R19 | retrieved_result | https://linkedin.com/in/neil-wild-5a43b812 S08-B-perplexity-r1-R20 | retrieved_result | https://simplyhired.co.uk/job/ec2UBOvFB4kDCWtgOpcuLtHfWDO8acNMI_hZZ_lwxJy0OKAbnaEaOQ S08-B-perplexity-r1-R21 | retrieved_result | https://linkedin.com/in/paul-wright-47072b50 S08-B-perplexity-r1-R22 | retrieved_result | https://jobtoday.com/gb/jobs-portfolio-payroll/evesham S08-B-perplexity-r1-G1 | supporting_citation | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-G2 | supporting_citation | https://theportfoliogroup.com/payroll/why-use-us/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-G3 | supporting_citation | https://gpa.net/blogs/directory/middlemore S08-B-perplexity-r1-G4 | supporting_citation | https://frazerjones.com/get-in-touch/book-a-consultation/payroll/ S08-B-perplexity-r1-G5 | supporting_citation | https://seniorexecutive.com/profile/Nick-Day-CEO-%7C-Podcast-Host-%7C-Author-%7C-Keynote-Speaker-8-The-Green-STE-B-Dover-Delaware-19901-USA/97f3c364-2f53-4e82-bd8b-52c2ae6ad6e2