UAE recruitment specialist Michael Page has released its annual salary guide and hiring insights report for 2023.
Developed as a guide for jobseekers and hiring managers the report identifies key trends for the year ahead and provides salary benchmarks, insights and key positions for a variety of employment sectors.
The report covers banking and financial services; property and construction; oil and gas; procurement and supply chain; engineering and manufacturing; as well as technology and the digital sector.
Jon Ede, the UAE’s Regional Director of Michael Page UAE explains, “Based on market confidence and therefore more aggressive growth and diversification plans, organisations shifted up a gear and their appetite to invest in attracting top talent increased significantly.
“We have also seen a significant return to foreign investments with businesses looking to expand their international footprint into the UAE. A complex global economic backdrop makes it impossible for anyone to predict what lies ahead for 2023. However, based on current demand, positivity and local market confidence, the UAE appears to be well positioned for growth and resilience.”
Check out the Michael Page salary expectation benchmarks for selected sectors in the UAE per month.
UAE banking and financial services jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Finance Managers, CFOs and Investment Analysts.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- Head of Consumer Banking AED95k to AED200k
- Managing director of Investment banking firm AED87k to AED185k
- Head of Wholesale Banking AED98k to AED177
Recruitment challenge: Lack of an extensive on-thejob environment has meant that professionals, especially those in their early-to-mid careers, have not had the benefit of extensive on-the-job training & coaching in their roles. There is a gap in terms of client expectations versus candidate skills which is an ongoing challenge.
UAE data and analytics jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include data management professionals, advanced analysts and data engineers..
Top salaries in the sector are:
- Data Analytics Manager AED95k to AED200k
- Chief Data Officer AED80k to AED177k
- Data Governance Manager AED75k to AED120k
Recruitment challenge: Data is now in the space where it is more prevalent than before with strategies and dedicated professionals in place. Yet still, organisations struggle to find synergy between their data agendas and their business goals/objectives resulting in misaligned hires.
UAE digital jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Product Developers, U/X Designers, E-Commerce Specialists.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- Chief Digital Officerer AED60k to AED90k
- Head of Digital marketing AED40k to AED60k
- UX director AED50k to AED70k
Recruitment challenge: Hybrid working is the new norm. Organisations who are bringing back full time office traditional models will put themselves at risk not only in securing top talent, but losing talent to competitors.
UAE engineering and manufacturing jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include CEO, General Manager and Plant Manager.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- VP AED90k to AED150k
- CEO AED80k to AED120k
- COO AED70k to AED110k
Recruitment challenge: Positive growth and multiple opportunities in the region is leading to difficulty in attracting and retaining calibre talent.
UAE finance and accounting jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Commercial Finance Manager, Compliance Audit Manager and CFO.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- Group CFO AED100k to AED200k
- CFO AED80k to AED120k
- Chief Audit Officer AED75k to AED140k
Recruitment challenge: There is a high inflow of candidates to the Middle East which has resulted in an oversupply of candidates with skillsets which are not necessarily in demand. Hiring Managers are struggling to sift through a large volume of candidates to identify their preferred one.
UAE legal and policy jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Fintech specialists, Islamic Finance Specialists, Commercial Contract workers.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- Partner (private practice) AED90k to AED180k+
- General Counsel (in-house) AED80k to AED130k
- Head of Legal (in-house) AED70k to AED85k
Recruitment challenge: Following the trend from 2022, the Legal recruitment market has rapidly grown within the UAE. While the aim in 2022 was to replace leavers, for 2023 it will be to grow teams to ensure high quality specialist advice is available without seeking external counsel. Specialist lawyers are in demand for senior positions and generalists for junior positions.
UAE procurement and supply chain jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Supply Planner, Supplier Relationship Manager and Category Manager.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- Chief Supply Chain Officer AED85k to AED165k
- Chief Procurement Officer AED70k to AED150k
- VP of Procurement AED50k to AED100k
Recruitment challenge: Navigating the new world of work: flexibility, outcome-focus, and worldwide prospects. A prevalent and growing number of candidates wish to associate themselves with organisations that strive to be on the cutting edge of working culture.
UAE property and construction jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Property Director, Development Manager and Real Estate Asset Manager.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- General Manager AED65k to AED100k
- Project Director AED60k to AED90k
- Project Manager AED40k to AED55k
Recruitment challenge: The UAE and Northern Gulf property and construction sector has seen a large volume of major developments and ventures being launched across the market. Developers, real estate consultancies and construction specialists have been recruiting in large volumes making the market extremely competitive for employers to secure and retain top talent. Salaries have increased, benefits are becoming more versatile, and people now desire flexible working such as work from home policies. Some employers are meeting the markets demands, however many are still operating like pre-Covid times.
UAE retail jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Marketing Manager, Store Manager and Commercial Directors.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- Retail CEO AED70k to AED120k
- Retail Managing Director AED65k to AED100k
- Merchandise Director AED50k to AED80k
Recruitment challenge: With an increased purchasing power across all income levels, a confident customer now willing to spend and a market overpopulated with different brand offerings across all categories, the customer is now presented with multiple options whether the purchase is a basic necessity or a once in a lifetime purchase. Brands will find it difficult to attain and retain customers with different aspects like price points, product availability, customer service and brand equity making the difference.
UAE B2B sales and marketing jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Sales Director, Account Director, Business Development Manager.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- CEO AED70k to AED120k
- Chief Marketing Officer AED70k to AED120k
- General Manager AED50k to AED90k
Recruitment challenge: With multinational and local companies increasing their presence in Middle East and in particular the UAE it is creating an influx of international talent which will be creating a more competitive market for candidates.
UAE consumer sales and marketing jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Brand Manager, Head of Sales, Business Development Manager.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- Sales General Manager AED60k to AED120k
- Chief Marketing Officer AED65k to AED120k
- Commercial Director AED65k to AED100k
Recruitment challenge: Top t talent is as scarce as ever before. The pool of talent demonstrating; strategic, operationally well-versed, and strong cultural suitability is becoming an increasingly narrow selection.
UAE technology jobs
Positions most in demand in this sector include Software Developer, IT Project Manager and Enterprise Architect.
Top salaries in the sector are:
- CIO AED70k to AED130k
- CTO AED50k to AED120k
- Chief Information Security Officer AED60k to AED110k
Recruitment challenge: there is a severe shortage of qualified candidates. With the rapid expansion of the technology sector in recent years, the demand for IT workers has far outstripped the supply. As a result, many companies are forced to compete for a limited pool of talent.
Data for the salary benchmarks in the Michael Page report is derived from its proprietary database capturing job advertisements and placements throughout 2022. It is supplemented with insights from our consultants validated by their interactions with employers and job applicants in the region.
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