JGA STUDY · SAVED-TEXT EVIDENCE EXPORT Original answer wording and recorded date preserved. Answer ID: S11-A-perplexity-r2 Recorded UTC: 2026-10-22T00:34:52.915Z 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 EXACT QUESTION Our business is growing and our small UK payroll team needs another Senior Payroll Specialist to share the workload. Which recruitment agencies should we speak to for a permanent hire? FULL SAVED ANSWER For a permanent UK Senior Payroll Specialist , start with specialist payroll recruiters, then add one or two broader finance/HR agencies for market coverage. The strongest first conversations would be Portfolio Payroll, Oakleaf Partnership, Reed, Michael Page, and Robert Walters . Specialist payroll recruiters | Agency | Why speak to them | Best fit | | --- | --- | --- | | Portfolio Payroll | A dedicated UK payroll recruiter that has operated since 1988 and recruits permanent payroll roles from administrator through executive level; it also has a long-standing CIPP relationship and candidate-testing facilities. theportfoliogroup +2 | Best first call for a pure payroll brief, especially if you need someone strong on UK compliance and end-to-end processing. | | Oakleaf Partnership | Its payroll division is a dedicated payroll consultancy covering permanent and interim roles from Payroll Administrator to Payroll Director, with UK and international sourcing capability. [oakleafpartnership](https://oakleafpartnership.com/business-areas/payroll/payroll-capabilities) | Strong option for a senior specialist with broader HR, reward, implementation, or global-payroll exposure. | | McKinnon Talent | A specialist UK payroll recruiter covering in-house, bureau, outsourced, and accountancy-firm environments, from entry level to senior leadership. [mckinnontalent.co](https://mckinnontalent.co.uk/) | Useful if you want a boutique, payroll-only search and a more tailored candidate shortlist. | Broader agencies worth including | Agency | Why speak to them | Best fit | | --- | --- | --- | | Michael Page | Actively recruits permanent payroll roles, including Senior Payroll Specialist positions with end-to-end payroll, compliance, reconciliation, and stakeholder responsibilities. michaelpage.co +1 | Good if the role sits within finance and needs commercial/stakeholder-management skills. | | Reed | Has a dedicated payroll specialism and advertises permanent senior payroll roles; its accountancy practice also recruits payroll managers and payrollers on a permanent basis. reed +1 | Useful for regional reach and a mix of payroll and finance/accountancy candidates. | | Robert Walters | Provides permanent recruitment services and payroll solutions, with coverage across accounting, finance, HR, and related professional functions. robertwalters.co +1 | Worth approaching if the hire will also own payroll systems, process improvement, or team leadership. | How to run the search • Brief 2–3 agencies, not 6–8. For a single permanent hire, use one specialist payroll recruiter as lead, plus one broader agency for comparison; too many agencies can create duplicate CVs and weaken candidate experience. • Define the actual workload split. Specify payroll frequency, headcount, pension/auto-enrolment, benefits, HMRC submissions, year-end/P60/P11D, systems, and whether the person will deputise for a Payroll Manager. • Prioritise compliance evidence. Ask for examples of RTI submissions, statutory payments, pensions, terminations, reconciliations, and resolving employee or HMRC queries. • Test practical capability. Use a short payroll scenario or technical assessment; Portfolio Payroll’s CIPP-linked testing is one example of how specialist agencies can support this. [linkedin](https://linkedin.com/in/tom-heppell-50b399325) • Agree exclusivity or a clear fee structure. Exclusive contingent search often gets more consultant time for a senior permanent role; retainers are more appropriate if the position is hard to fill or business-critical. If you want the simplest starting point: contact Portfolio Payroll and Oakleaf Partnership first, then add Michael Page or Reed depending on whether the role is more finance-led or regionally focused. 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