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Selected Search Assignments / Property & Development
EXECUTIVE SEARCH
Appointing a Head of Payroll for an International Property Group
A confidential specialist search to identify and appoint a Head of Payroll capable of leading a complex payroll function across a large, geographically diverse property organisation while driving compliance, operational excellence and continuous improvement.
Assignment overview
An international property group engaged Aequalis to identify and appoint a Head of Payroll to lead a large payroll operation supporting multiple business divisions and a geographically dispersed workforce.
The appointment required considerably more than technical payroll expertise. The successful executive needed to provide strategic leadership, strengthen governance, improve operational performance and ensure the delivery of an accurate, compliant and efficient payroll function.
Sector
Property & Development
Appointments
Head of Payroll
Service
Specialist Search
Assignment
Snapshot
Approach
Confidential Specialist Search
The challenge
The client required an experienced payroll leader capable of managing a complex payroll environment while balancing compliance, operational performance and continuous process improvement.
Success depended on identifying a leader with strong technical expertise, proven people leadership and the commercial capability to support a growing international business.
How we delivered the search
Clarify the brief
Worked closely with the client to understand the complexity of the payroll function, leadership expectations and the strategic objectives behind the appointment.
Map the market
Mapped experienced payroll executives across property, infrastructure, retail, healthcare and other large corporate organisations operating complex payroll environments.
Engage the right people
Approached highly regarded payroll leaders with proven experience leading large, multi-site payroll functions, including professionals who were not actively seeking a new opportunity.
Advise throughout
Provided market intelligence, candidate insight and practical hiring advice throughout the search, supporting informed decision-making from initial shortlist through to appointment.
The outcome
The search resulted in the successful appointment of an experienced Head of Payroll with the leadership capability to strengthen governance, improve operational performance and lead a complex payroll function within an international organisation.
The assignment also provided valuable market intelligence and established a trusted relationship supporting future specialist appointments.
The value of this assignment was not simply appointing a Head of Payroll. It was securing a leader capable of strengthening one of the organisation's most critical operational functions.
Why this search mattered
For large international organisations, payroll is a critical business function where accuracy, compliance and operational efficiency directly influence employee experience and organisational performance.
Specialist search at this level is about more than identifying technically capable payroll professionals. It is about finding leaders with the experience, judgement and capability to lead complex teams, improve systems and deliver long-term operational excellence.
To protect client confidentiality, some identifying details have been intentionally withheld.