SALARY GUIDE UAE

2017
Contents
CEO’S LETTER ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
AN OUTLOOK FROM OUR REGION’S LEADERS ......................................................................................................................... 4
ACCOUNTING & FINANCE ................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Audit & Risk – Accounting Firms ................................................................................................................................................. 8
Strategy ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Tax .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES .............................................................................................................................................. 12
International Banks ........................................................................................................................................................................ 13
Local Banks ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 15
Compliance ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Nationalisation ................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
DIGITAL .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
HUMAN RESOURCES .......................................................................................................................................................................... 21
LEGAL ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 23
MANUFACTURING ............................................................................................................................................................................... 25
PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 27
SALES AND MARKETING .................................................................................................................................................................. 30
SUPPLY CHAIN ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
TECHNOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 34
TECHNICAL SALES............................................................................................................................................................................... 36

Gross salaries (AED per month)

2 *typically, does not exist at this level
CEO’S LETTER
Welcome to Cooper Fitch’s 2017 Salary Guide for the United Arab
Emirates
Welcome to Cooper Fitch’s Salary Guide for 2017
which covers professional (mid to senior level)
jobs across the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Cooper Fitch is a specialist recruitment firm
based in the UAE offering recruitment, HR
advisory services and executive search, servicing
clients throughout the Middle East since 1997.
We are delighted to present our findings and
share valuable insights into the region’s
employment and salary trends found in key
sectors. This guide summarises our salary
expectations and recruitment forecasts for the
coming year and we base all of our salary
predictions on information provided by
organisations located in the UAE, as well as
market observations from our own experts.
2016 was a flat year economically
(approximately 1-2% GDP growth) and this was
reflected in recruitment activity, with slower job
creation and consolidation in some sectors
leading to job losses. We have seen salaries
reduced or remaining flat in certain industries
and it has been a particularly tough year for the
banking and energy sectors. Banking remains
uncertain for 2017 with a significant number of
mergers planned for the next 12 months. Overall,
the economy was sluggish, due in part to poor
consumer confidence and low commodity prices.
The number of new jobs coming onto the market
was lower than in 2015, resulting in a softening
of salaries for the year as a whole.
The outlook for 2017 is improving and market
sentiment looks reasonably positive. Cooper
Fitch estimates GDP growth of between 4- 6%
across the UAE, with oil prices predicted at
3 *typically, does not exist at this level
between US$55-US$65 per barrel. We expect to
see increases in salary levels and new jobs being
made available following a better than expected
finish to 2016 and a similar start to 2017.
We are seeing new hires for the year ahead, with
jobs in consultancy, advisory, legal, strategy and
tax, along with big infrastructure projects,
playing a major part in the recruitment drive for
2017. Other areas, such as supply chain and
manufacturing have also shown signs of
recovery, but to a lesser extent, as have the
energy and oil and gas sectors, with reasonable
job creation and head count approval predicted
for 2017. The imminent introduction of VAT in
the UAE, and across the GCC, is believed to be the
biggest contributor for job creation in the year
ahead.
Overall, we predict that salaries will rise by
between 4-6%, dependent on the GDP and
commodity prices outlined above. However, by
reading the commentary in this guide, you will
see that there are significant differences in
recruitment forecasts according to sector (with
some more likely to perform better than others),
directly impacting salary performance. We hope
you find the insights presented in this report
interesting and beneficial, and we welcome any
feedback.
Cooper Fitch is the new name for Morgan
McKinley in the Middle East. We specialise in jobs
for the following industries - accounting, sales,
marketing, banking, digital, tax, legal, audit,
strategy, compliance, supply chain, construction,
technical sales, manufacturing, engineering,
supply chain and technology.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
AN OUTLOOK FROM OUR REGION’S LEADERS
Cooper Fitch spoke with a number of CEOs driving local and international businesses in the region about
their perspective and projections for the year ahead.

In 2016 the Middle East economy suffered a significant knock-on effect from low oil prices and the question
remains, how soon will a strong recovery take place moving into 2017? Many thought the second half of
2016 to first half of 2017 would see a stronger turn around, however, the direct and indirect consequences
of Brexit, U.S. elections, terrorism and mainly oil prices are still expected to have further impact this year.
After interviewing many CEOs in the UAE across sectors in FMCG, manufacturing, professional services,
family holding groups, life sciences, healthcare and energy amongst others, we found some commonality in
their views regarding business growth, jobs, salaries and the leadership skills gap in the UAE.

75% of the CEOs Cooper Fitch engaged with forecasted their business growth in the range of 1-4% for 2017,
due mainly to uncertainty about the speed of an economic turnaround, global geopolitical problems and oil
prices. See Graph 1

CEOs also had very conservative views on salary increases, with 95% stating either no growth in salaries
or if any, only between 1-3%. However, 85% of their companies have paid or will be paying annual bonuses
for 2016. See Graph 2

Graph 1 - Predicted Growth of Graph 2 - Prediction of Salary &

Business for 2017 Bonus Increase for 2017
0 0 0
5%

25%

45%
50%
75%

Growth of 1-4% Growth of 5-9% No growth 1-3% growth

Growth of 10-15% Growth of 16% 3-5% growth 5% +

Gross salaries (AED per month)

4 *typically, does not exist at this level
The testing economic conditions, budget tightening, organisational restructuring and redundancies have
also highlighted various skills gaps within senior leadership teams amongst UAE organisations. These gaps
are being addressed predominantly via executive coaching, development programmes, internal mobility
and succession planning (more so amongst multinational organisations). 60% of CEOs cited executive
coaching and 35% succession planning and internal mobility, versus only 5% viewing external recruitment
as the primary strategy for filling the skills gaps amongst their functional leadership teams for 2017. See
Graph 3

Eighty percent of our network are expecting a headcount rise of 1-4% for the year. Some of our CEOs are
projecting a rise of 5%, whilst the remaining have projected a headcount decrease between 1-4% for 2017.
See Graph 4

Graph 3 - Plans for Filling Skill Graph 4 - Predicted Fluctuation of

Gaps 2017 Employees for 2017
0
0
5% 5%
10%
10%

30%
60%

80%

Executive coaching & development Decrease by 1-4% Decrease by 5%

Internal succession planning & mobility Decrease by 10% Increase by 1-4%
Recruitment Increase by 5-9% Increase by 10%

Gross salaries (AED per month)

5 *typically, does not exist at this level
ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
A review of the expected salaries for accounting and finance professionals in the UAE for 2017.
HIRING TRENDS
Weak regional dynamics and low oil prices
dampened growth in 2016. The UAE economy
slowed due to harsh austerity measures and poor
performance among key trading partners, such
as Saudi Arabia which witnessed sharp cuts in
government spending and an increasing budget
deficit. On the positive side, megaproject
implementation ahead of Expo 2020 and Dubai’s
retention of ‘safe haven’ status have
strengthened the country’s economic resilience.
TALENT SUPPLY
Employers have been consolidating their
workforce, focusing on the transformation and
streamlining of operations; this trend was clearly
visible in business support functions, such as
finance. Some sectors e.g. oil and gas services,
banking, hospitality, trade and construction, have
seen an ongoing reduction in headcount,
resulting in an oversupply of immediately
available, well qualified talent. As a result, the
competition amongst job seekers has
dramatically increased in 2016 and this will
continue in 2017.
SALARY & COMPENSATION
Our research shows that the salaries for finance
and accounting professionals in 2017 are
expected to feel downward pressure, with
stricter hiring criteria and more rigorous
interview processes, compounded by an
6 *typically, does not exist at this level
Job hiring in the UAE remained generally weak in
2016, with the number of vacancies posted
online registering a significant decline compared
to 2015. The expected recovery in oil prices (due
to recent agreements by OPEC and non-OPEC
countries on the output cuts), combined with
growing public and private sector activity
boosted by Dubai’s preparations for Expo 2020,
will see real GDP growth rise to 3.1% a year in
2017. This will have a positive effect on hiring
trends for finance positions.
Inflation and cost of living are other concerns,
and when coupled with stagnant salaries and
difficulties in securing a desirable role and
package, they have contributed to an increasing
number of expatriates leaving the UAE. However,
in 2017 businesses across the UAE will continue
their historical interest in hiring finance and
accounting professionals with formal accounting
qualifications (ACCA, CPA, ACA, CA), experienced
in working for multinational organisations and
who can implement financial discipline and
improved controls.
oversupply of locally available, well qualified
talent. The overall salaries across finance
functions are only expected to increase
marginally above the inflation level in 2017.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
 SALARY SURVEY
ACCOUNTING & FINANCE

Role Part-Qualified Newly Qualified 2-5 years’ PQE 5-7 years’ PQE 10+ years’ PQE
Chief Financial
* * * 55,000-65,000 70,000+
Officer
Financial Director * * * 45,000-55,000 55,000+
Financial Planning
* * * 45,000-55,000 55,000+
Analysis Director
Financial Controller * * 33,500-37,500 37,500-45,000 45,000+
Finance Manager 19,000-23,000 23,000-26,000 27,000-34,500 34,500-40,000 40,000+
Financial Planning
* * 25,000-30,000 30,000-45,000 *
Analysis Manager
Head of Internal
Audit & Internal * 19,000-25,000 25,000-31,000 31,000-35,500 35,500+
Audit Manager
Treasury Manager 15,000-18,000 18,000-21,000 21,000-23,500 23,500-27,500 27,500+
Budgeting Manager 13,500-15,000 15,000-16,500 16,500-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000+
Reporting Manager 12,000-14,000 14,000-16,500 16,500-19,000 19,000-22,000 22,000+
Chief Accountant 16,000-20,000 20,000-26,000 26,000-31,000 31,000-34,500 34,500+
Financial Modeller 15,000-17,000 17,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000-35,000 35,000+
Internal Auditor 12,000-15,000 15,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000-35,000 *
Management
8,000-12,000 12,000-16,000 16,000-20,000 20,000-30,000 *
Accountant
Finance & Business
7,000-10,000 10,000-15,000 15,000-22,000 22,000-30,000 33,500+
Analyst
Financial
7,000-10,000 10,000-15,000 15,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 *
Accountant

Gross salaries (AED per month)

7 *typically, does not exist at this level
Audit & Risk – Accounting Firms
HIRING TRENDS

In a positive move, the slow start to 2016 was
followed by a considerable hiring increase in the
second half for the region’s audit and risk
practices. As a result, with audit being the stable
revenue generator for the Big Four, we are
expecting available jobs to increase at a steady
pace for the assurance division. Risk advisory is
an area where senior leaders in the Big Four can
expect to see significant growth in 2017, with
current teams growing by 19%.

TALENT SUPPLY

We find that qualified candidates from mature
markets in Europe are in demand for the audit
industry across the Big Four, with exceptional
career progression on offer over the coming
years. In the current UAE market, we see that
qualified bilingual (Arabic and English) speakers
in risk advisory and forensics are needed,
especially in areas such as the public sector,
government and life sciences.

SALARY &COMPENSATION TRENDS

Due to the ever-changing nature of the Big Four anticipate a 5% increase on salaries, with
and an increase in the approval of projects ahead additional benefits being introduced at various
of Expo 2020, the demand for auditors and levels through 2017.
specialist advisors will continue to grow. We

SALARY SURVEY
ACCOUNTING PRACTICES

Service Line Role Audit Risk

Partner (5+ years) 85,000 – 110,000+* 90,000 – 120,000+*

Partner (1 - 5 years) 55,000 – 75,000* 60,000 – 80,000*
Director 35,000-47,000 40,000-50,000
Senior Manager 28,000-35,000 32,000-40,000
Manager 22,000-28,000 24,000-33,000
Assistant Manager 16,000-22,000 17,000-24,000
Senior Associate 11,000-16,000 11,000-18,000
Associate 7,000-10,000 8,000-11,000

*Fixed Gross Monthly package excluding any bonus or profit share. The profit share and equity arrangements vary
depending on the accounting firm.

Gross salaries (AED per month)

8 *typically, does not exist at this level
Strategy
HIRING TRENDS

In the current market, we are seeing the majority
of recruitment happening amongst the UAE’s
major family corporations and semi-government
organisations (especially due UAE Expo 2020),
which normally look to hire tier 1 consultants
(MBB) for managerial positions. There is also a
trend towards technology start-ups attracting
top MBA graduates away from MBB. In the
consulting world, there is still a healthy life cycle
of recruitment at junior levels
(analyst/associate) with a big need for bilinguals
(Arabic and English), to accommodate for the
large amount of work that consultancies do in
Saudi. Furthermore, there is more Partner level
recruitment that happens within the Big 4 than
Management consultancies. However, MC’s do
hire Partners on certain occasions to
strengthen certain divisions.

TALENT SUPPLY

Most of the talent supply is coming from the likes
of McKinsey, Strategy&, Booz Allen Hamilton and
the Big Four (KPMG, Deloitte, EY, and PWC)
depending on what sort of experience a client is
looking for. The supply of candidates is mainly
sourced from within the region as there is a
higher volume of available talent, which is more
open to hearing about new
opportunities than in the past.

SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS

Salaries in the consulting world are increasing
slightly as the tier 1 consultancies battle to
attract top talent. In industry, however, the
salaries are not what they used to be and this is
especially true of expatriate packages; as
previously stated there is no need to attract
international candidates as there is enough talent
in the local market looking for jobs. Consultants
from tier 1s moving to industry typically see a
20% pay cut, but this is not always the case with
local family groups and
semi-government entities.

SALARY SURVEY
STRATEGY INDUSTRY

Analyst Strategy Manager Strategy Director Head of Strategy Chief Strategy Officer

3-4 years’ 5-6 years’

7-9 years’ experience 10-12 years’ experience 12+ years’ experience
experience experience
20,000-25,000 30,000-40,000 45,000-55,000 60,000-65,000 70,000+

SALARY SURVEY
STRATEGY MANAGEMENT CONSULTING

Project Leader &

Analyst Associate & Consultant Principal Starting Partner Senior Partner
Engagement Manager
5-9 years’ 9+ years’
3-5 years’ experience 19+ years’
undergraduate 1-3 years’ post MBA experience post experience post
post MBA experience
MBA MBA
140,000- 160,000-
20,000-28,000 30,000-40,000 45,000-55,000 60,000-70,000
160,000 170,000
100,00-150,000 200,000-300,000 600,000 -1 +3 million
70,000-90,000 bonus
bonus bonus million bonus bonus

Gross salaries (AED per month)

9 *typically, does not exist at this level
Tax
HIRING TRENDS
Our findings show that the primary driver of tax
recruitment in the GCC is the much-awaited
introduction of VAT. This is mainly related to the
Big Four and professional services firms
preparing industry for the upcoming VAT
implementation. Since most of the VAT work is
currently focused on preliminary consultations,
planning and VAT impact assessments, these
firms predominantly required top level
professional candidates. However, with the
framework expected to be released soon, Big
Four also started to recruit junior VAT specialists
who will be more involved in the actual
implementation. On the industry side, firms are
still waiting for the framework and the majority
were not in a hurry to build in-house tax teams.
However, some industry firms have already done
so, particularly local conglomerates, FMCG,
energy, FS and aviation organisations.
Demand for international and deals/M&A tax
professionals has still been strong, although
TALENT SUPPLY
A significant issue we have identified is that
whereas other types of tax professionals can be
found within the GCC, the region has a
tremendous shortage when it comes to VAT
professionals. Organisations have to look for
international talent and candidates with
previous indirect tax implementation experience
are most in demand. Typically, these are
professionals coming from Malaysia, Australia
10
smaller in terms of scale. This is particularly true
in such markets as the UAE, where there is no
demand for corporate tax compliance
professionals (corporate tax is hardly presented
in the UAE tax system), whereas, the market
needs candidates who will assist in international
tax structuring. In turn, transfer pricing has seen
an increase, mainly due to new BEPS
developments, which resulted in a number of mid
to senior appointments in Big Fours within the
GCC. Finally, demand for corporate tax and Zakat
professionals in Saudi Arabia has remained
strong.
The main markets with steady demand for tax
professionals in 2016 were the UAE, Saudi Arabia
and Qatar and others are now picking up,
especially due to the VAT implementation. The
demand for tax professionals is predicted to
grow within the GCC with the introduction of VAT
expected to bring thousands of jobs into the
region.
and Lebanon, which implemented VAT/GST in
2015, 2000 and 2002 respectively. There is also
a number of other markets where suitable talent
is coming from, although HR functions have been
facing a number of challenges attracting talent
globally. Companies traditionally prefer tax
professionals from the UK, Ireland and other
European countries, given the complexity and
maturity of those jurisdictions.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
*typically, does not exist at this level
SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS

Our research has shown that salaries within
industry firms tend to be higher than in practice
where the top end of the market is represented
by Big Four and some law firms. Although the gap
can be very high this is to be expected and it is not
only the case in the GCC, but globally. Typically,
salary ranges are fixed with professional services
firms such as Big Four and therefore, these firms
do not pay a premium to on demand tax
professionals. However, some practice firms
provide additional allowances for Arabic
speakers and the others may provide schooling
benefits. Within the Big Four, tax professionals
can be paid more than those in audit, however,
advisory seems to be at the higher end. In turn,
salaries in industry can vary greatly depending
on the scope of the role and company size.
Most of the time, salaries in the UAE are the
highest in the GCC, however, cost of living aspects
should be taken into consideration. In some
situations, tax professionals may be better off in
Saudi Arabia, with greater savings and career
progression prospects given the market size and
opportunities. Salaries for tax professionals
within practice are predicted to stay the same
with the possibility of a slight increase, whereas,
industry is more likely to increase salaries in
order to attract and maintain suitable talent.

SALARY SURVEY
TAX PRACTICE

Associate Senior Manager Senior Manager Director Partner

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 7+ years’ 10+ years’ 12+ years’
experience experience experience experience experience experience
10,000 - 16,000 15,000 - 22,000 22,000 - 32,000 31,000 - 43,000 40,000 - 60,000 55,000+*

*Partner packages vary significantly given the difference between Big 4, Big 10 and legal firms therefore
only minimum number identified by the survey is indicated in the table. For more information on Partner
packages, please get in touch with Cooper Fitch Tax team.

SALARY SURVEY
TAX INDUSTRY

Associate Senior Manager Senior Manager Director

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 12+ years’
6+ years’ experience 8+ years’ experience
experience experience experience
13,000-20,000 22,000-28,000 25,000-38,000 40,000-60,000 60,000+

**For more senior level roles, compensation depends on the scope of work rather than years of experience (e.g.
coverage of a broader tax complexity or a region).

Gross salaries (AED per month)

11 *typically, does not exist at this level
BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES
HIRING TRENDS
The banking and financial services market in the
UAE and broader GCC will be happy to move on
from 2016, but what can we expect to see next?
When we looked at our own banking clients and
the wider market at the beginning of 2016, we
expected a very similar year in terms of
performance and hiring to 2015, but with lower
consumer confidence (fuelled by continued
geopolitical risk and poorer trading conditions),
along with the continued slump in oil prices.
These factors, coupled with rumours of major
activity have severely hampered any growth
TALENT SUPPLY
There has been a reduction in hiring across all of
the banking markets and this looks set to remain
in place until at least the middle of the year,
equating to lower salaries, with fewer increases
and many banks not paying out bonuses for 2016.
There is still interest in international candidates
coming to the UAE, but the large pool of available
banking professionals already in the market has
SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS
Data suggests that the 2017 outlook for the
banking and financial services jobs market
remains very uncertain. If the larger planned
mergers take place then we are likely to see some
consolidation in staff numbers, which will
12
planned in the financial services sector. There
have been hiring freezes and reductions in
headcount, particularly with local banks,
however, the international banks have also been
significantly affected. Unfortunately, 2017 looks
to be another difficult year for the banking sector
in the UAE, with recruitment levels projected to
be at their lowest in the past five years. We expect
a significant amount of potential mergers to take
place over the next twelve months, which could
reduce the number of jobs in the market by as
much of 5,000 over the next two years.
lessened the need for imported talent. There are
still some highlights, but these will require
investment and it remains to be seen whether
banks have the appetite to spend in these areas.
Jobs in cyber, compliance and digital are all
required in order for the UAE to maintain its
reputation as the centre of banking in the region.
potentially result in a greater supply of jobs
seekers than actual jobs. With this in mind, we
are predicting a reduction in salaries of between
5-7%, however the reduction may be less and we
will have to see how events unfold.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
*typically, does not exist at this level
International Banks
SALARY SURVEY
ASSET MANAGEMENT

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
Fund Manager 29,000-34,500 34,500-42,000 42,000-49,000 49,000-58,000
Asset & Portfolio Manager 30,000-34,500 34,500-39,000 39,000-43,000 43,000-54,000
Sales & Relationship Manager 20,000-24,500 24,500-29,000 29,000-37,500 37,500-45,500
Research Analyst 13.600-16.500 16,500-22,000 22,000-35,500 *
Fund & Portfolio Managers
13,600-16,500 16,500-22,000 * *
Assistant
Trade Support 11,000-14,500 14,500-20,000 20,000-25,400 *

SALARY SURVEY
CORPORATE RETAIL SALARIES

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
Head of Wholesale Banking 75,500-85,500 85,500-109,000 109,000-118,000 118,000+
Head of Retail Banking 64,000-73,000 73,000-82,000 82,000-100,000 100,000+
Head of Corporate Banking 54,500-64,000 64,000-73,000 73,000-86,000 86,000+
Head of Restructuring and
59,000-68,000 68,000-77,500 77,500-82,000 82,000+
Remedial
Head of GTB 54,500-64,000 64,000-73,000 73,000-82,000 82,000+
Head of Direct Sales 50,000-54,500 54,500-64,000 64,000-73,000 73,000+
Head of Alternate Channels 47,500-54,500 54,500-64,000 64,000-73,000 73,000+
Head of Performance
45,500-54,500 54,500-64,000 64,000-73,000 73,000+
Management
Head of Branches 41,000-50,000 50,000-59,000 59,000-68,000 68,000+
Head of Assets/ Liabilities 39,000-50,000 50,000-59,000 59,000-68,000 68,000+
Head of Collections &
44,500-50,000 50,000-54,500 54,500-64,000 64,000+
Recovery
Product Management 39,000-44,000 44,000-54,500 54,500-59,000 59,000+
Relationship Director 34,500-40,000 40,000-50,000 50,000-54,500 54,500+
Relationship Manager 16,500-22,000 22,000-25,500 25,500-35,500 35,500+

SALARY SURVEY
FINANCE & OPERATIONS

3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role 0-3 years’ experience
experience experience experience
Chief Finance Officer (CFO) * 64,000-82,000 82,000-115,500 115,500+
Chief Operating Officer (COO) * 82,000-100,000 100,000-114,000 114,000+
Finance Director 45,500-54,500 54,500-73,000 73,000-86,500 86,000+
Head of Fund Admin & Head of
50,000-59,000 59,000-68,000 68,000-77,000 77,000+
Accounting
Head of Internal Audit 44,000-54,500 54,500-65,500 65,500-76,500 76,500+
Head of Product Control 36,500-53,000 54,500-67,500 65,700-73,000 73,000+
Head of Custody 44,000-53,000 53,000-62,000 62,000-73,000 73,000+
Head of MIS (Management Information
41,000-50,000 50,000-59,000 59,000-68,000 68,000+
Systems) & Reporting
Financial Controller 23,000-25,500 25,500-32,000 32,000-41,000 41,000+
Product Controller 18,000-23,000 23,000-27,000 27,000-32,000 32,000-41,000
Fund Accountant Qualified 18,000-23,000 23,000-27,000 27,000-32,000 32,000-41,000
Internal Audit Manager 18,000-24,000 23,000-31,000 29,000-40,000 38,000+

Gross salaries (AED per month)

13 *typically, does not exist at this level
 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’
Role 0-3 years’ experience
experience experience experience
Treasury Manager 18,000-21,000 21,000-27,500 27,000-32,000 32,000+
Financial Modeller 14,000-20,000 20,000-25,500 25,500-32,000 32,000+
Business Analyst & Business Manager 14,000-18,000 18,000-23,000 23,000-32,000 32,000+
Finance Manager 16,500-20,000 20,000-23,000 23,000-27,000 27,000+
Budgeting Manager 14,000-16,500 16,500-20,000 20,000-27,000 27,000+
Chief Accountant 11,000-14,000 14,000-18,000 18,000-27,000 27,000+
Financial Planning & Analysis Manager 14,500-18,000 18,000-21,500 21,500-32,000 24,500+
Reporting Manager 14,500-18,000 18,000-21,500 21,500-24,500 24,500+
Management Accountant 9,000-13,000 13,000-20,000 20,000-24,000 24,000-32,000
Financial Accountant 9,000-14,000 14,000-18,000 18,000-23,000 23,000-32,000
Regulatory Reporting 9,000-14,000 14,000-18,000 18,000-23,000 23,000-32,000

SALARY SURVEY
PRIVATE BANKING

3-5 years’
Role 0-3 years’ experience 5-8 years’ experience 8+ years’ experience
experience
Group Head 82,000-100,000 100,000-105,000 105,000-123,000 123,000+
Chief Investment Officer 53,000-59,000 59,000-68,000 68,000-100,000 100,000+
Assistant Vice President 31,000-36,000 * * 100,000+
Managing Director 68,000-71,000 71,000-74,500 74,500-82,000 82,000-100,000
Investment Advisor -
45,500-47,000 47,000-58,000 58,000-68,000 *
Director
Director 53,000-54,500 54,500-59,000 59,000-64,000 64,000-67,000
Vice President 37,000-41,000 41,000-44,500 * *
Investment Advisor - VP 34,500-38,000 38,000-44,500 * *

Gross salaries (AED per month)

14 *typically, does not exist at this level
Local Banks
SALARY SURVEY
ASSET MANAGEMENT

8+ years’
Role 0-3 years’ experience 3-5 years’ experience 5-8 years’ experience
experience
Fund Manager 33,000-39,000 39,000-46,000 46,000-55,000 55,000-65,000
Asset & Portfolio Manager 33,000-37,000 37,000-42,000 42,000-46,000 46,000-58,000
Sales & Relationship Manager 23,000-28,000 28,000-36,000 36,000-42,000 42,000-45,000
Research Analyst 15,000-18,000 18,000-25,000 26,000-40,000 *
Fund & Portfolio Managers
15,000-18,000 18,000-25,000 * *
Assistant
Trade Support 12,000-16,000 16,000-21,000 21,000-25,000 *

SALARY SURVEY
CORPORATE RETAIL

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
Head of Wholesale Banking 63,000-75,000 75,000-90,000 90,000-110,000 110,000+
Head of Retail Banking 70,000-80,000 80,000-90,000 90,000-100,000 100,000+
Head of Corporate Banking 60,000-70,000 70,000-80,000 80,000-94,000 94,000+
Head of Restructuring and
65,000-75,000 75,000-85,000 85,000-90,000 90,000+
Remedial
Head of GTB 60,000-70,000 70,000-80,000 80,000-90,000 90,000+
Head of Alternate Channels 50,000-60,000 60,000-70,000 70,000-80,000 80,000+
Head of Performance
45,000-55,000 55,000-70,000 70,000-75,000 75,000+
Management
Head of Branches 45,000-55,000 55,000-65,000 65,000-75,000 75,000+
Head of Assets & Liabilities 50,000-55,000 55,000-65,000 65,000-75,000 75,000+
Head of Collections & Recovery 50,000-55,000 55,000-60,000 60,000-70,000 70,000+
Head of Direct Sales 45,000-49,000 49,000-60,000 60,000-70,000 70,000+
Product Management 42,000-50,000 50,000-60,000 60,000-65,000 65,000+
Relationship Director 35,000-40,000 40,000-50,000 50,000-60,000 60,000+
Relationship Manager 13,000-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000-39,000 39,000+

SALARY SURVEY
FINANCE & OPERATIONS

0-3 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role 3-5 years’ experience
experience experience experience
Chief Finance Officer (CFO) * 70,000-90,000 90,000-127,000 127,000+
Chief Operating Officer (COO) * 90,000-110,000 110,000-125,000 125,000+
Finance Director 50,000-60,000 60,000-80,000 80,000-95,000 95,000+
Head of Fund Admin & Head of
55,000-65,000 65,000-75,000 75,000-85,000 85,000+
Accounting
Head of Internal Audit 48,000-60,000 60,000-72,000 72,000-84,000 84,000+
Head of Product Control 40,000-58,000 58,000-74,000 72,000-80,000 80,000+
Head of Custody 48,000-58,000 58,000-68,000 68,000-80,000 80,000+
Head of MIS (Management
Information Systems) & 45,000-55,000 55,000-65,000 65,000-75,000 75,000+
Reporting
Financial Controller 25,000-28,000 28,000-35,000 35,000-45,000 45,000+
Internal Audit Manager 20,000-26,000 25,000-34,000 32,000-44,000 42,000+
Fund Accountant Qualified 20,000-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000-45,000
Product Controller 20,000-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000-45,000

Gross salaries (AED per month)

15 *typically, does not exist at this level
 0-3 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’
Role 3-5 years’ experience
experience experience experience
Financial Modeller 15,000-22,000 22,000-28,000 28,000-35,000 35,000+
Treasury Manager 20,000-23,000 23,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000+
Business Analyst & Business
15,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000-35,000 35,000+
Manager
Financial Planning & Analysis
16,000-20,000 20,000-23,500 23,500-27,000 35,000+
Manager
Budgeting Manager 15,000-18,000 18,000-22,000 22,000-30,000 30,000+
Finance Manager 18,000-22,000 22,000-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000+
Chief Accountant 12,000-15,000 15,000-20,000 20,000-30,000 30,000+
Reporting Manager 16,000-20,000 20,000-23,500 23,500-27,000 27,000+
Management Accountant 10,000-14,000 14,000-22,000 22,000-26,000 26,000-35,000
Financial Accountant 10,000-15,000 15,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000-35,000
Regulatory Reporting 10,000-15,000 15,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000-35,000

SALARY SURVEY
PRIVATE BANKING

8+ years’
Role 0-3 years’ experience 3-5 years’ experience 5-8 years’ experience
experience
Group Head 90,000-110,000 100,000-120,000 120,000-135,000 135,000+
Chief Investment Officer 58,000-65,000 65,000-75,000 75,000-110,000 110,000+
Managing Director 75,000-78,000 78,000-82,000 82,000-90,000 90,000-110,000
Investment Advisor - Director 48,000-52,000 52,000-64,000 64,000-75,000 *
Director 58,000-60,000 60,000-65,000 65,000-71,000 71,000-74,000
Vice President 40,000-48,000 48,000-55,000 * *
Investment Advisor - VP 38,000-42,000 42,000-49,000 * *
Assistant Vice President 34,000-40,000 * * *

Gross salaries (AED per month)

16 *typically, does not exist at this level
Compliance
HIRING TRENDS

Multinational banks in the UAE who have been
the hardest hit by international regulatory
penalties continue to recruit more staff in their
compliance and financial crime departments.
There has also been an increase in demand for
compliance professionals with FX, asset
management and private banking experience.
Taking the UAE as a whole, hiring trends are
slightly down in compliance compared to
2015/2016 with a decrease of 4% in job
opportunities. This is due to the sharp drop in oil
prices affecting Gulf recruitment and banks
consolidating their positions with some notable
mergers and acquisitions in the Emirates. This
environment has led to a surplus of candidates on
the market compared to opportunities.

TALENT SUPPLY

We find that the local market is the first port of compared to previous years, so the need to
call for sourcing regulatory professionals. This attract international talent into the region has
year in particular has seen a greater number of dwindled somewhat.
job seekers in compliance in the local market

SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS

For the first time since 2009, compliance salaries
in the banking and financial services space have
dropped in the UAE. On average, compliance
salaries decreased by 6% compared to
2015/2016. The primary reason for the drop lies
in the surplus of talent in the regulatory market
as HR departments look to tighten budgets going
into 2017. The licensed money laundering
reporting officer position (MLROs) in the DIFC,
which once commanded the highest compliance
salary, has seen the greatest dip on average. New
organisations setting up in the DIFC have been
keen to keep costs to a minimum and
unfortunately compliance has been the worst
affected.

SALARY SURVEY
COMPLIANCE

3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role 0-3 years’ experience
experience experience experience
Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) 77,000-84,000 82,000-92,000 91,000-98,000 94,000+
Head of Compliance 52,000-57,000 57,000-64,000 64,000-74,000 74,000+
Sanctions and AML Managers 29,000-33,000 31,000-37,000 37,000-42,000 43,000+
Compliance Manager Generalists-
29,000-34,000 32,000-35,000 33,000-37,000 39,000+
Wholesale, Retail, Corporate
Compliance (FATCA Specialists) 26,000-39,000 32,000-36,000 * *
Compliance (UAE Nationals) 17,000-21,000 21,000-26,000 26,000-32,000 36,000+
Compliance Officer (Private
18,000-22,000 22,000-26,000 26,000-34,000 34,000+
Banking, Wealth, Investments)
Compliance Officer (KYC, On
15,000-20,000 20,000-24,000 24,000-33,000 29,000+
boarding, CDD)
Compliance Analysts (Graduate) 11,000-15,000 13,000-17,000 * *

Gross salaries (AED per month)

17 *typically, does not exist at this level
Nationalisation
SALARY SURVEY

NATIONALISATION

Role 0-3 years’ experience 3-5 years’ experience

Manager - Sales & Service 30,000-35,000 35,000-40,000
Branch Manager 20,000-25,000 25,000-35,000
Management Associate 23,000-26,000 26,000-33,000
Relationship Manager- Business Banking 20,000-25,000 25,000-30,000
Assistant Manager - Sales & Service 20,000-25,000 25,000-30,000
Fund Accountant 20,000-24,000 24,000-30,000
Statistics Consultant 21,000-22,000 22,000-30,000
ICM Administrator (IT) 20,000-22,000 22,000-27,000
Corporate Business Analyst 18,000-22,000 22,000-27,000
Corporate Credit Analyst 18,000-22,000 22,000-27,000
Risk Analyst 18,000-22,000 22,000-27,000
Fund Administrator 20,000-23,000 23,000-26,000
Branch Operating Officer 20,000-21,000 21,000-26,000
Management Trainee Program 21,000-25,000 *
Government Relations Officer 15,000-16,000 16,000-25,000
Graduate Program- Finance & Accounting 18,000-20,000 *
Officer- Sales & Services 15,000-18,000 18,000-23,000
Call Centre Consultant 10,000-12,000 12,000-18,000
Teller 10,000-13,000 13,000-16,000

Gross salaries (AED per month)

18 *typically, does not exist at this level
DIGITAL
HIRING TRENDS
Digital is a hot topic in the UAE in terms of digital
transformation and social media. In 2016, 90% of
all marketing roles required some level of digital
marketing experience, with a further 54% of the
organisations hiring a digital expert.
For the year ahead, we are forecasting that
approximately one in every four organisations in
TALENT SUPPLY
The UAE had developed a good pool of highly
skilled digital talent, but the demand is
outstripping the supply of candidates. New
candidates from the UK, Australia and the US are
all required in order to ensure the UAE continues
to be seen a digital hub, not just for the region, but
as a true global player. The demand for Arabic
speakers is particularly acute as government and
SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS
Our digital marketing team predicts between 10-
12% growth for the year ahead. With a significant
demand for talent outstripping supply, we see
extra pressure on employers closing out
candidates in this highly dynamic space.
Organisations who fail to pay good retention
19
the region will expand their teams, so overall a
very positive picture for the digital industry.
Furthermore, over 70% of businesses are
increasing their investment in digital marketing,
thereby creating more jobs in the market.
Currently within this industry, hiring managers
want to improve their creative capability,
meaning a high demand for candidates on the
more creative side of digital.
other businesses based in the region have a
strong preference for bilingual talent. The supply
issue is not helped by the fact the talent
requirements span both marketing agencies and
organisations building their own in-house digital
teams. In particular, there is a skills shortage
across digital social media jobs, digital marketing
managers and CX specialists at all levels.
bonuses and provide interesting projects for
highly creative candidates run the risk of losing
their best talent. This, along with some large
government funded digital projects such as
Smart City, could potentially prove very lucrative
for top-tier talent in the digital market.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
*typically, does not exist at this level
SALARY SURVEY
DIGITAL

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
Chief Digital Director 55,000-65,000 65,000-75,000 75,000 - 85,000 85,000+
Client Servicing Director 40,000-43,000 43,000-45,000 45,000 - 48,000 48,000+
CX (UX, XD, SX) Managing
35,000-38,000 38,000-45,000 45,000 - 48,000 45,000 +
Consultant
Regional Account Director 27,000-30,000 30,000-36,000 36,000 - 42,000 42,000+
Communications Director 27,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000 - 40,000 40,000+
PR Director 23,000-27,000 27,000-34,000 34,000 - 39,000 39,000+
Social Media Director 23,000-27,000 27,000-34,000 34,000 - 39,000 39,000+
Social Media Strategy
23,000-27,000 27,000-34,000 34,000 - 39,000 39,000+
Director
Creative Director 23,000-27,000 27,000-34,000 34,000 - 39,000 39,000+
Art Director 23,000-27,000 27,000-34,000 34,000 - 39,000 39,000+
Digital strategist 18,000-22,000 22,000-28,000 28,000 - 34,000 34,000+
Account Director 23,000-27,000 27,000-30,000 30,000 - 33,000 33,000+
CX (UX, XD, SX) Consultant 20,000-25,000 25,000-31,000 31,000+ *
Digital Transformation
20,000-25,000 25,000-31,000 31,000+ *
Consultant
Head of Planning 23,000-25000 25,000-28,000 28,000 -31,000 31,000+
Social Media Analytics
18,000- 22,000 22,000-25,000 25,000 - 30,000 30,000+
Manager
Social Media communications
18,000- 22,000 22,000-25,000 25,000 - 30,000 30,000+
Manager
Studio Manager 15,000-18,000 18,000-23,000 23,000-28,000 28,000+
Traffic Manager 15,000-18,000 18,000-23,000 23,000-28,000 28,000+
PR Manager 17,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000+ *
Account Manager 16,000- 18,000 18,000-23,000 * *
Digital Account manager 16,000- 18,000 18,000-23,000 * *
Digital Media Account
16,000-18,000 18,000-23,000 * *
Manager
Communications Manager 15,000-18,000 18,000-21,000 21,000+ *
Senior Account Executive 13,000-15,000 15,000-17,000 * *
Graphic Designer 12,000-14,000 14,000-18,000 18,000-21,000 21,000+
Communications Executive 12,000-15,000 15,000-20,000 * *
Copywriter 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 18,000-22,000 *
Media Buyer 12,000-14,000 14,000-17,000 17,000 + *
PR Executive 10,000-13,000 13,000-16,000 16,000+ *
Account Planner 10,000-12,000 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 18,000+
Media Planner 10,000-12,000 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 18,000+
Account Executive 10,000-12,000 12,000-15,000 * *
Digital Media Analyst 10,000-12,000 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 *

Gross salaries (AED per month)

20 *typically, does not exist at this level
HUMAN RESOURCES
HIRING TRENDS
There has been a continuing pattern of HR
professionals in oil and gas, petrochemical and
related sectors being made redundant on a large
scale. Some HR professionals with excellent
education, CIPD qualification and expertise in the
region are still struggling to find work after many
sectors implemented hiring freezes. A number of
companies decided to restructure internally
(particularly in FMCG and pharmaceuticals),
which also resulted in some HR professionals
being relocated to other countries in Europe, or
alternatively companies have been combining
responsibilities to reduce headcount, as opposed
to having too many specialist HR professionals
TALENT SUPPLY
We didn’t find that talent supply was an issue in
2016 since sweeping redundancy programmes
put large numbers of experienced HR
professionals out of work for prolonged periods.
However, the current pool of HR talent,
particularly those with multinational experience
and Arabic language skills, will not be on the
market for very long. In 2017 we expect to see
increased demand for HR professionals with an
Arabic background at supervisory and mid-
levels. We have seen a shift from professionals
SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS
In our experience, HR professionals who hold
Chartered Institute of Personnel Development
(CIPD) qualifications or Masters Degrees are able
to command higher salaries than their peers.
CIPD qualified individuals are perceived as being
21
across O&D, L&D, C&B, TA, strategy and HR
operations.
As growth is anticipated in 2017, the demand for
HR professionals, particularly those with
experience of multinational companies currently
based in the UAE and GCC, is expected to increase
in the second half of the year. Sector experience
is less important due to the transferable nature of
HR skills and the previous restructuring has
created gaps that businesses need to fill as they
seek to expand, making HR
recruitment a priority once again.
being sourced internationally to a focus on local
talent in HR, even for senior director and
managerial positions. Nationalisation continues
to be a priority in the UAE government sector and
multiple sectors in Saudi Arabia, particularly in
the HR function. As there is a lack of supply
amongst these professionals, companies will
continue to use specialist agencies to access UAE
and Saudi nationals with HR experience in their
respective countries.
able to make a noteworthy contribution to their
organisations by enhancing HR Systems, building
competitive C&B packages and analysing the
market more efficiently. HR salaries are expected
to increase by approximately 3.5-5.5% in 2017.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
*typically, does not exist at this level
SALARY SURVEY
HUMAN RESOURCES

Role 0-3 years’ experience 3-5 years’ experience 6-8 years’ experience 9+ years’ experience
CHRO 55,000-65,000 65,000-80,000 78,000-96,000 98,000-154,000
HR VP 47,000-66,000 65,000-77,000 75,000-83,000 83,000-147,000
HR Director (Group) 40,000-60,000 60,000-75,000 75,000-85,000 85,000-100,000
Human Resources Business
25,000-30,000 27,000-33,000 30,000-38,000 38,000-50,000
Partner
HR Manager 22,000-28,000 28,000-34,000 34,000-42,000 40,000-45,000
HR Advisor 12,000-18,000 18,000-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000-45,000
HR Operations Manager 18,000-23,500 20,000-26,000 25,000-32,000 32,000-41,000
Compensation & Benefits
20,000-23,500 23,000-36,000 25,000-32,000 30,000-41,000
Manager
Talent & Acquisition
20,000-23,000 22,000-27,000 25,000-35,000 30,000-40,000
Manager
Recruitment Manager 17,000-22,000 20,000-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000-40,000
HR Generalist 13,000-18,000 18,000-25,000 24,000-28,000 30,000-40,000
Training Manager 17,000-21,000 20,000-25,000 25,000-32,000 31,000-37,000
Employee Relations
18,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000-36,500
Manager
Learning & Development
17,000-21,000 21,000-27,000 25,000-32,000 30,000-36,000
Manager
Learning & Development
10,000-18,000 18,000-22,000 21,000-26,000 22,000-27,000
Specialist
Talent & Acquisition
14,000-18,000 16,000-19,000 19,000-22,000 22,000-26,000
Specialist
Recruiter 14,500-16,000 15,000-18,000 18,000-22,000 21,000-25,000
Recruitment Specialist 13,000-16,000 14,000-17,000 16,000-19,000 18,000-21,000

Gross salaries (AED per month)

22 *typically, does not exist at this level
LEGAL
HIRING TRENDS
In 2016, law firms in the UAE expressed caution
with a reluctance to replace existing positions,
however, Q4 2016 brought a new optimism that
has carried forward into 2017. Firms are now
replacing lost talent from 2016 and are able to
justify the growth of their existing teams. We
have seen growth demonstrated in the
requirement for top-end dispute resolution
professionals, specifically within litigation, and
not surprisingly in the construction sector given
the rate of development in the UAE. This is not
only due to movement between firms, but also
expansion in existing teams. Additionally, we
have found significant growth in corporate
TALENT SUPPLY
Despite growth in the UAE legal market over the
years, the trend of hiring directly from the UK
looks set to stay. This is mainly because firms are
not able to match the package expectations of
existing residents and those transferring directly
from UK offices in the case of international firms.
Local firms are also experiencing expansion, with
fewer hiring freezes and an increase in sourcing
candidates directly from the UK, in order to bring
in international talent and expertise.
On the legal support side, there has always been
a need for outstanding bilingual paralegals and
SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS
With the continued increase in demand for
qualified international candidates, salaries in the
legal industry are set to increase between 3-4%
in 2017, with the expectation that recently
23
departments, across all levels of PQE, specifically
for common law qualified candidates. Despite
banking and finance experiencing slow growth as
an industry last year, many firms are beginning
to add to these teams; a positive indication of
increased confidence in local banking and finance
markets.
Legal departments in industry have experienced
less movement in the past year, however, we
expect that to change by Q2/Q3, given that we are
beginning to see ripples in the market amongst
senior counsel and director level candidates who
are now looking at a career move.
that continues to be a demand moving forward.
There is a general shortage of corporate
paralegals with experience at international firms
and, whilst we acknowledge an increase in UK
candidates relocating to the UAE, demand still
heavily outweighs the supply. On the whole, the
legal market remains a candidate driven
industry, where there is still an increasing
requirement for qualified professionals in the
UAE market; we expect this to continue
throughout the year and past Expo 2020.
relocated expatriates can command a significant
salary hike if they’re looking to move to another
firm in 2017.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
*typically, does not exist at this level
SALARY SURVEY
REGIONAL FIRMS

Role Low High Average

Partner 60,000 100,000 80,000
Counsel 45,000 85,000 65,000
Senior Associate 30,000 70,000 45,000
Associate 20,000 50,000 35,000
Newly Qualified 15,000 35,000 25,000
Paralegal 15,000 22,000 19,000
Legal Secretary 12,000 18,000 15,000

SALARY SURVEY
US FIRMS

Role Low High Average

Partner 90,000 150,000 125,000
Counsel 70,000 100,000 85,000
Senior Associate 50,000 80,000 65,000
Associate 35,000 70,000 55,000
Newly Qualified 30,000 40,000 35,000
Paralegal 17,000 30,000 25,000
Legal Secretary 15,000 25,000 20,000

SALARY SURVEY
UK FIRMS

Role Low High Average

Partner 85,000 130,000 110,000
Counsel 60,000 90,000 75,000
Senior Associate 45,000 75,000 60,000
Associate 35,000 65,000 50,000
Newly Qualified 30,000 40,000 35,000
Paralegal 18,000 30,000 25,000
Legal Secretary 16,000 24,000 20,000

SALARY SURVEY
IN-HOUSE

Role Low High Average

Director 50,000 120,000 90,000
General Counsel & Manager 45,000 90,000 65,000
Counsel 30,000 65,000 50,000
Junior Legal Counsel & Advisor 25,000 45,000 35,000
Paralegal 15,000 24,000 22,000
Legal Secretary 12,000 20,000 18,000

Gross salaries (AED per month)

24 *typically, does not exist at this level
MANUFACTURING
HIRING TRENDS

The oil crisis created a solidified notion from
both the Government and Private Sector that
there needs to be further investment to diversify
the economy so that there is no longer a total
dependence on the oil and gas sector for a healthy
GDP. This has led to a noticeable increase in
demand for manufacturing professionals,
including factory and plant managers, with a
number of new factories being opened in the
FMCG and the Specialty Chemical sectors.
That said, the oil and gas sector has been steadily
stabilising, encouraging the big players to keep
an eye out for top talent with the ability to lead
change and bring their businesses back on track,
although competition remains fierce among oil
and gas professionals who have been out of work
during the past two years. Sustainability
continues to be the focus of most organisations
and governments, opening up opportunities for
environmental management professionals who
contribute to organisational compliance with
governmental sustainability regulations.

TALENT SUPPLY

We have seen an increased demand for qualified organisations continues to be a challenge across
local professionals within the GCC region in order all sectors. Expatriate professionals with GCC
to keep up with nationalisation requirements. experience and knowledge of the Arabic language
Yet, integrating local talent within multinational remain an attractive prospect for employers.

SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS

As the economy stabilizes, we predict an increase pressure to reduce operational costs, which
of 5% in salaries in the manufacturing sector. could have an impact on other components of the
However, organisations are under continual benefits package such as housing.

SALARY SURVEY
MANUFACTURING

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
Managing Director 66,000-80,000 80,000-97,000 97,000-174,000 *
Operations Director 62,000-76,000 76,000-98,000 82,000-115,000 *
Chief Production Officer 58,000-67,000 65,000-81,000 81,000-99,000 *
General Manager 42,000-49,000 47,000-62,000 58,000-82,000 78,000-123,000
Plant Manager 21,000-24,000 24,000-33,000 30,000-38,000 38,000-57,000
Process Development Manager 18,000-23,000 26,000-28,000 28,000-36,000 36,000-49,000
Head of R&D 15,000-20,000 17,000-23,000 22,000-33,000 33,000-49,000
Process Innovation Manager 17,000-22,000 21,000-27,000 27,000-36,000 35,000-47,000
Lean Six Sigma Manager 16,000-20,000 19,000-25,000 23,000-36,000 36,000-46,000
Mechanical Manager 19,000-25,000 25,000-29,000 28,000-34,000 34,000-46,000
Production & Factory Manager 16,000-19,000 19,000-24,000 24,000-35,000 34,000-46,000
Electrical Engineering Manager 15,000-19,000 19,000-24,000 24,000-28,000 28,000-46,000
Quality Manager Assurance and
17,000-22,0000 19,000-26,000 20,000-30,000 30,000-45,000
Control
HSE Manager 17,000-22,000 19,000-26,000 21,000-31,000 30,000-43,000
Maintenance Manager 18,000-24,000 24,000-28,000 28,000-33,000 33,000-41,000
Process Engineering Manager 17,000-22,000 19,000-25,000 23,000-29,000 29,000-41,000
Manufacturing Engineering
18,000-23,000 19,000-24,000 22,000-30,000 30,000-39,000
Manager

Gross salaries (AED per month)

25 *typically, does not exist at this level
 0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’
Role
experience experience experience experience
Continuous Improvement Manager 15,000-20,000 19,000-25,000 24,000-31,000 30,000-38,000
Master Black Belt 14,000-19,000 19,000-25,000 24,000-30,000 30,000-38,000
Operations Manager 20,000-23,000 23,000-31,000 21,000-29,000 29,000-36,000
Lean Expert 10,000-16,000 16,000-20,000 20,000-29,000 29,000-36,000
Design Engineer 8,000-14,000 14,000-20,000 19,000-27,000 25,000-31,000
Process Engineer 11,000-14,000 13,000-19,000 17,000-27,000 *
Production Supervisor 8,000-13,000 13,000-22,000 18,000-26,000 26,000-29,000
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt 10,000-15,000 14,000-22,000 22,000-28,000 28,000-25,000
Civil Engineer 7,000-14,000 14,000-19,000 16,000-23,000 19,000-27,000
Quality Engineer Assurance and
9,000-13,000 13,000-19,000 * *
Control
HSE Engineer 9,000-13,000 13,000-19,000 * *
Manufacturing Engineer 10,000-13,000 13,000-18,000 * *
Mechanical Engineer 9,000-13,000 13,000-18,000 * *
Maintenance Engineer 9,000-13,000 13,000-18,000 * *
Electrical Engineer 9,000-13,000 13,000-17,000 * *

Gross salaries (AED per month)

26 *typically, does not exist at this level
PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION
HIRING TRENDS
2016 was a positive year for hiring within the
property and construction sector, albeit at a
more moderate pace than the previous year.
Most of our hiring activity took place across key
senior level appointments with master
developers and PMCs in the GCC looking to
attract top talent from their main competitors on
the development side of their business.
Contracting, interiors and facilities management
remained steady with a core focus on building
commercial teams in particular. Preparation for
Expo 2020 will continue to provide this sector
with opportunities and keep it robust throughout
2017. Property and construction professionals
are optimistic about 2017 and positive about
TALENT SUPPLY
For 2017, we expect a continuation of trends
from 2016, which will see high demand for
operations, commercial and engineering talent
across developers, contracting, interior firms and
facilities management. The focus for construction
companies will be to strategically locate and
improve access to the talent available in the
SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS
It is our opinion that construction companies will
fall behind the curve in 2017 if they do not invest
in the necessary data to help build competitive
pay structures across their operations and
commercial teams. This information will be vital
in the year ahead to ensure plans are internally
equitable and externally competitive. Meeting
these criteria will enable construction firms to
attract, retain and motivate the right number of
suitable employees. Salaries are expected to
27
their career prospects. It's clear that the GCC is an
attractive region for expatriate construction
professionals to work in, with the UAE continuing
to top their list of preferred locations. Saudi
comes in second because of the higher salaries on
offer, while Oman and Qatar also remain key
regions for expatriates. 2017 is a major year for
the tier 1 construction companies and those with
well educated and well connected commercial
teams will push ahead, ensuring their delivery
teams are also in place. Overall, companies with
a proven track record of delivery within the GCC,
coupled with a clear vision in the run up to Expo
2020, will perform well.
market. Construction companies predominantly
recruit regionally given the fewer risks
associated with it and there has been a growing
pattern of recruiting staff from their main
competitors who have the right skillset and can
add immediate value.
remain the same across managerial positions,
while critical positions in each individual firm
can expect an average of 5-7% increase.
Construction companies will continue to be
cautious in relation to salaries in 2017, due to
increasing competition in the market driven by
working on very low margins in order to secure
projects. However, companies will need to
increase budgets if the goal is to attract key
individuals from their main competitors.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
*typically, does not exist at this level
SALARY SURVEY
DEVELOPERS

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
Chief Executive Officer 120,000-125,000 125,000-130,000 130,000-136,000 136,000+
Managing Director 110,000-115,000 115,000-120,000 120,000-127,000 127,000+
Chief Operating Officer 100,000-105,000 105,000-110,000 110,000-117,000 117,000+
Chief Development Officer 97,000-100,000 100,000-105,000 105,000-111,000 111,000+
Senior Development
88,000-92,000 92,000-97,000 97,000-101,000 101,000+
Director
Vice President of Sales 80,000-84,000 84,000-88,000 88,000-94,000 94,000+
Development Director 70,000-73,000 73,000-77,000 77,000-81,000 81,000+
Senior Commercial Manager 60,000-64,000 64,000-69,000 69,000-74,000 74,000+
Director of Sales 55,000-59,000 59,000-64,000 64,000-68,000 68,000+
Project Director 50,000-55,000 55,000-60,000 60,000-64,000 64,000+
Senior Planning Manager 45,000-48,000 48,000-52,000 52,000-56,000 56,000+
Planning Manager 45,000-48,000 48,000-52,000 52,000-56,000 56,000+
Senior Project Manager 42,000-45,000 45,000-50,000 50,000-54,000 54,000+
Project Manager 37,000-40,000 40,000-44,000 44,000-49,000 49,000+

SALARY SURVEY
INTERIORS

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
Managing Director 50,500-65,000 65,000-73,000 73,000-83,000 83,000-15,000
Commercial Director 40,000-58,500 58,500-69,500 69,500-78,500 78,500-85,000
Operations Director 40,000-47,500 47,500-55,000 55,000-62,000 62,000-85,500
Project Director 36,500-45,000 45,000-52,000 52,000-60,500 60,500-70,000
Contracts Manager 46,500-53,000 53,000-58,000 58,000-62,000 62,000-67,000
Business Development
33,500-34,000 34,000-38,500 38,500-45,000 45,000-65,000
Director
Commercial Manager 25,000-30,000 30,000-37,000 37,000-48,000 48,000-70,00
Senior Project Manager 32,500-36,000 36,000-40,000 40,000-46,500 46,500-53,500
Planner & Scheduler 19,500-26,500 26,500-40,000 40,000-45,000 45,000-57,000
Senior Quantity Surveyor 20,500-26,500 26,500-30,000 30,000-38,000 38,000-50,000
Project Manager 20,500-24,500 24,500-28,000 28,000-34,500 34,500-43,500
Business Development
18,500-24,500 24,500-29,500 29,500-35,500 35,500-40,500
Manager
Estimator 14,000-20,500 20,500-25,500 25,500-32,500 32,500-37,500
Sales Manager 15,000-18,500 18,500-26,500 26,500-30,500 30,500-34,500
Quantity Surveyor 13,500-16,500 16,500-20,500 20,500-26,000 26,000-35,000
Sales Engineer 12,000-17,500 17,500-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000-33,000
Site Manager 14,500-18,500 18,500-24,000 24,000-27,000 27,000-32,500
Project Engineer 14,000-16,000 16,000-19,500 19,500-24,000 24,000-29,500
Site Engineer 10,000-15,000 15,000-18,500 18,500-22,500 22,500-26,000

Gross salaries (AED per month)

28 *typically, does not exist at this level
SALARY SURVEY
MAIN CONTRACTING

Role 0-3 years’ experience 3-5 years’ experience 5-8 years’ experience 8+ years’ experience
Managing Director 85,000-92,000 92,000-97,000 97,000-105,000 105,000+
Operations Director 62,000-65,000 65,000-70,000 70,000-75,000 75,000+
Commercial Director 50,000-55,000 55,000-60,000 60,000-70,000 70,000+
Project Director 50,000-52,000 52,000-55,000 55,000-60,000 60,000+
Commercial Manager 45,000-47,000 47,000-52,000 52,000-60,000 60,000+
Operations Manager 50,000-52,000 52,000-55,000 55,000-60,000 60,000
Contracts Manager 40,000-42,000 42,000-45,000 45,000-50,000 50,000+
Senior Project Manager 38,000-40,000 40,000-45,000 45,000-48,000 48,000+
Planning Manager 30,000-33,000 33,000-35,000 35,000-40,000 40,000+
Project Manager 30,000-32,000 32,000-35,000 35,000-40,000 40,000+
Senior Quantity Surveyor 25,000-28,000 28,000-32,000 32,000-35,000 35,000+
Quantity Surveyor 18,000-20,000 20,000-22,000 22,000-25,000 25,000+

SALARY SURVEY
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
Managing Director 75,000-80,000 80,000-85,000 85,000-90,000 90,000+
Operations Director 65,000-70,000 70,000-75,000 75,000-80,000 80,000+
Director of FM & General
55,000-60,000 60,000-65,000 65,000-70,000 70,000+
Manager
Business Development Director 45,000-50,000 50,000-55,000 55,000-60,000 60,000+
Commercial Director 45,000-50,000 50,000-55,000 55,000-60,000 60,000+
Bid Director 35,000-40,000 40,000-45,000 45,000-50,000 50,000+
Business Development Manager 30,000-35,000 35,000-40,000 40,000-45,000 45,000+
Facilities Manager 30,000-33,000 33,000-35,000 35,000-40,000 40,000+
Bid Manager 22,000-25,000 25,000-28,000 28,000-30,000 30,000+
Bid Engineer 15,000-18,000 18,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000+

Gross salaries (AED per month)

29 *typically, does not exist at this level
SALES & MARKETING
HIRING TRENDS

We have continued to see challenges throughout
2016, with low oil prices and a slow job market.
There have also been growing frustrations for job
seekers, due to employees being unhappy with
their salary packages and a lack of opportunities
to progress within their organisations.
Q3/Q4 2016 saw a 35% drop in hiring within
retail and trade in the UAE as a result of the
region's struggle to cope with low oil prices. Due
to the lack of jobs available, we saw a substantial
rise in postgraduate and online training courses.
However, confidence has increased across the
region with the price of oil rising and the advent
of Expo 2020 in Dubai.

TALENT SUPPLY

Recruitment is already picking up amidst
positive predictions of the market rebounding for
2017. However, competition in the region still
remains high, resulting in professionals feeling
more pressure to enhance their qualifications.
Clients are requesting stronger academic
backgrounds and there is a definite preference
for an MBA in a relevant field. Clients are focusing
less on volume hiring, instead moving towards
strategic hiring and headhunting talent from
outside the GCC. Arabic talent is still very
desirable within the strongest markets - Saudi
Arabia and the UAE. Throughout 2016 we have
seen organisations invest heavily in marketing,
consumer market insights and
export sales.

SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS

We saw little change in salaries from 2015 to increase headcount and have aggressive plans in
2016, however, we expect to see salary growth of place, taking full advantage of the stabilising
around 6-10% in 2017, along with increased economy.
bonus payments. Many companies are looking to
SALARY SURVEY
FMCG

Role 0-3 years’ experience 3-5 years’ experience 5-8 years’ experience 8+ years’ experience
General Manager 40,000-55,000 52,000-63,000 60,000-75,000 75,000+
Sales Director 35,000-50,000 50,000-60,000 60,000-70,000 70,000+
Country Manager 35,000-40,000 40,000-50,000 50,000-55,000 55,000-60,000
Regional Sales Manager 30,000-35,000 35,000-40,000 40,000-45,000 45,000-55,000
Area Sales Manager 25,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000-40,000 40,000-45,000
Key Account Manager 15,000-18,000 18,000-25,000 25,000-35,000 35,000-45,000
Brand Manager 15,000-18,000 18,000-25,000 25,000-35,000 35,000-45,000
Trade Marketing Manager 15,000-18,000 18,000-25,000 25,000-35,000 *
Sales Manager 15,000-20,000 20,000-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000-40,000
Sales Executive 10,000-12,000 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 *

Gross salaries (AED per month)

30 *typically, does not exist at this level
SALARY SURVEY
HEALTHCARE

5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role 0-3 years’ experience 3-5 years’ experience
experience experience
Regional Commercial
45,000-49,000 49,000-56,000 56,000-63,000 63,000+
Director
Regional Sales Director 45,000-49,000 49,000-56,000 56,000-63,000 63,000+
Market Access Manager 26,000-32,000 32,000-41,000 41,000 - 48,000 48,000+
Regional Commercial
30,000-35,000 35,000-41,000 41,000-46,000 46,000+
Manager
Regional Sales Manager 30,000-35,000 35,000-41,000 41,000-46,000 46,000+
Snr. Business Development
25,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000-41,000 41,000+
Manager
Area Sales Manager 25,000-30,000 30,000-34,000 34,000 - 39,000 39,000+
Business Development
20,000-25,000 25,000-31,000 31,000 - 35,000 35,000+
Manager
Key Account Manager 17,000-21,000 21,000-27,000 27,000 - 31,000 31,000+
Sales Representative 17,000-22,000 22,000-26,000 * *
Product Specialist 15,000-20,000 20,000-26,000 * *

SALARY SURVEY
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

3-5 years’
Role 0-3 years’ experience 5-8 years’ experience 8+ years’ experience
experience
Marketing Director 40,000-50,000 55,000-65,000 65,000-75,000 75,000 +
Head of Corporate
45,000-55,500 55,500-60,000 60,000-75,000 75,000 +
Communications
Corporate Communications
27,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000-45,000 45,000 +
Manager
PR Account Director 21,000-24,000 24,000-27,000 27,000-38,000 38,000-45,000
Digital Account Director 26,000-31,000 31,000-35,000 35,000-41,000 41,000 +
CMI Manager 20,000-25,000 25,000-30,000 30,000-42,000 42,000+
Digital Account Manager 21,000-24,000 24,000-28,000 28,000-35,000 35,000 +
Marketing Manager 20,000-24,000 24,000-27,000 27,000-37,000 *
PR Account Manager 16,000-18,000 18,000 + * *
Marketing Executive 10,000-15,000 15,000 + * *
PR Account Executive 11,000-14,000 14,000 + * *

SALARY SURVEY
RETAIL

3-5 years’
Role 0-3 years’ experience 5-8 years’ experience 8+ years’ experience
experience
General Manager 40,000-45,000 45,000-50,000 50,000-55,000 55,000+
Sales Director 30,000-35,000 35,000-40,000 40,000-45,000 45,000+
Regional Sales Manager 25,000-32,000 32,000-36,000 36,000-42,000 42,000+
Regional Brand Manager 18,000-23,000 23,000-28,000 28,000-35,000 35,000+
Key Account Manager 12,000-18,000 18,000-25,000 25,000-32,000 32,000+
Operations Manager 18,000-21,000 21,000-24,000 24,000-27,000 27,000+
Area Sales Manager 15,000-18,000 18,000-22,000 22,000-27,000 27,000+
Store Manager 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 18,000-22,000 22,000+
Sales Executive 8,000-12,000 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 *
Sales Assistant 5,000-8,000 8,000-11,000 11,000-15,000 *

Gross salaries (AED per month)

31 *typically, does not exist at this level
SUPPLY CHAIN
HIRING TRENDS
The rejuvenated manufacturing sector and the
continuously growing FMCG, retail and
healthcare sectors have been significant drivers
of growth in the demand for supply chain and
procurement professionals. Multinational and
regional companies investing in manufacturing
plants, building materials and utilities
infrastructure throughout the Middle East and
Africa will be particularly strong sources of
demand.
Since manufacturing and retail companies are
always looking to achieve the best prices from
suppliers, procurement professionals who
TRENDS SUPPLY
With billions of dollars’ worth of oil and gas
investment projects cancelled, energy firms have
been undertaking redundancies on an
unprecedented scale. This has created a high-
volume supply of GCC talent with distribution,
procurement and supply chain expertise and
means that employers are very particular about
SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS
Salary increments in the supply chain and
procurement community have increased
between 3-5% across the board. The UAE and
GCC show strong signs of growth and a desire not
to let the changes in oil prices instil fear; we
32
understand bids, contracts, negotiation and
tender management are particularly needed.
Those with regional and local procurement
experience in FMCG and industrial manufacturing
have proven to be very popular hires recently
because there is a requirement for professionals
to understand the UAE and GCC market in order to
optimise their supply chain operations.
Distribution managers and supply and demand
planners are also highly sought after. Similarly,
increased investment in manufacturing and
distribution operations has led to more of these
roles arising in the UAE Free
Trade Zones.
their requirements, looking to hire professionals
that have direct industry expertise. There are
those employers who still seek professionals to
advise them on Western supply chain and
distribution practices, however, the ability to
speak and read Arabic, and to understand local
culture, remain highly desirable attributes.
anticipate salaries will increase steadily in the
coming year as the market picks up and both the
government and private sector make significant
investments to drive the economy.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
*typically, does not exist at this level
SALARY SURVEY
SUPPLY CHAIN

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
General Manager 42,000-49,000 47,500-62,500 58,000-72,500 72,500-122,000
Supply Chain Director 35,000-40,000 40,000-55,000 50,000-68,000 68,000-87,000
Procurement Director 35,000-42,000 42,000-57,000 55,000-70,000 65,000-85,000
Procurement Manager 22,000-30,000 28,000-40,000 35,000-45,000 45,000-65,000
Contracts Manager 23,000-29,000 27,000-37,000 37,000-49,000 44,000-55,000
Trade Compliance Manager 16,000-23,000 23,500-34,000 26,000-36,500 36,500-53,000
Bid Manager 17,000-23,000 22,000-34,500 26,000-35,000 35,000-52,500
Supply Chain Manager 22,000-32,500 26,000-34,000 34,000-45,000 38,000-50,000
Operations Manager 18,000-25,000 24,000-32,000 32,000-42,000 38,000-49,500
Logistics Manager 15,000-19,000 17,000-25,000 24,000-37,000 34,000-45,000
Warehouse Manager 16,000-19,000 19,000-24,000 24,000-34,000 27,000-38,000
Senior Contracts Engineer 14,000-22,000 20,000-33,500 30,000-37,000 *
Demand & Supply Planning
20,000-24,000 22,000-31,000 27,000-32,000 30,000-35,000
Manager
Category Manager 19,000-24,000 22,000-30,000 27,000-35,000 *
Materials Manager 15,000-21,000 18,000-26,000 25,000-32,000 *
Buyer 6,000-12,000 12,000-21,000 20,000-26,000 *
Demand & Supply Planner 10,000-15,000 15,000-20,000 18,00-24,000 *
Warehouse Supervisor 8,000-11,000 11,000-16,000 16,000-21,000 *
Materials Engineer 5,000-9,000 9,000-14,000 12,000-18,000 16,000-19,000

Gross salaries (AED per month)

33 *typically, does not exist at this level
TECHNOLOGY
HIRING TRENDS
As the popularity of cloud technology continues
to thrive, more organisations are gravitating
towards adopting this concept in order to achieve
the objective of cost effectiveness. As a result, we
have seen a rise in the demand for professionals
with technical and commercial experience in
cloud technology and sales professionals with
strong experience in this area are also becoming
more attractive.
Software is a strong market this year with the
introduction of VAT in the UAE, as companies are
now faced with the complexity of computing the
effects of tax on their transactions. Hence, there
has been an increase in demand for professionals
who have experience in implementing VAT into
ERP (the software that helps automate financial
transactions on the computing system) and it is
expected that this demand will continue to grow.
Security remains a very competitive market with
ever changing technologies being developed to
mitigate security risks. Many trends emerged in
2016 that are very likely to remain key issues for
organisations of all shapes and sizes in 2017.
TALENT SUPPLY
There remains a very strong talent pool of
professionals in the Middle East, however, as we
see developments in technology and taxation
SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS
Our insights show that inflated salary structures
are under review across the board. Technology
professionals, especially in commercial sales
roles, are coming under the microscope with
salaries being brought further in line with overall
34
For example, the continued and growing risk of
ransomware, as a primary attack vector for
hackers aiming to cash in on their nefarious
activities. Secondly, nation-states were once
again identified by multiple organisations as
being the source of serious cyber threats, and
there is no indication that this will change in the
year ahead.
Among the emerging trends that could become
more prominent in the new year is the
widespread use of containers and microservices
to improve security control.
Due to the continual growth of Cyber Security we
expect to see more demand in both commercial
and technical roles such as : Sales Director, Pre-
Sales, Consultants, Managers, SOC & IR specialists
and GRC Specialists.
With the demand increasing we forecast the
average salary in Cyber Security to increase
around 2-4% on last year.
laws there is a real demand to relocate
professionals with a niche areas of expertise to
the region.
company performance. Salaries are predicted to
rise in more technical roles as the demand for
certain skill sets becomes even more difficult to
source within the Middle East.
Gross salaries (AED per month)
*typically, does not exist at this level
SALARY SURVEY
LEADERSHIP ROLES END USERS

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
Chief Information Officer (CIO) 80,000-90,000 90,000-100,000 100,000-115,000 115,000+
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) 75,000-85,000 85,000-95,000 95,000-110,000 110,000+
Chief Information Security Officer
45,000-52,000 52,000-60,000 60,000-65,000 66,000+
(CISO)
Lead Architect 45,000-52,000 52,000-56,000 56,000-60,000 60,000+
Head of I.T 40,000-45,000 45,000-52,000 52,000-56,000 56,000+
I.T Manager 30,000-34,000 33,000-37,000 35,000-39,000 39,000+
Service Delivery Manager 25,000-28,000 28,000-34,000 34,000-38,000 38,000+
Service Desk Team Leader 16,000-21,000 21,000-26,000 26,000-33,000 30,000+
Network Engineer 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 18,000-22,000 22,000+

SALARY SURVEY
VENDOR ROLES

0-3 years’ 3-5 years’ 5-8 years’ 8+ years’

Role
experience experience experience experience
VP of Sales 70,000-80,000 80,000-99,000 99,000-115,000 115,000+
Country Manager 55,000-59,000 59,000-67,000 67,000-80,000 80,000+
Sales Director 40,000-43,000 43,000-46,000 46,000-50,000 50,000+
Pre-Sales Director 40,000-43,000 43,000-46,000 46,000-50,000 50,000+
Professional Services Director 38,000-41,000 41,000-44,000 44,000-48,000 48,000+
Sales Manager 27,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000-38,000 38,000+
Pre-Sales Manager 27,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000-38,000 38,000+
Professional Services Manager 24,000-27,000 27,000-32,000 32,000-35,000 35,000+
Inside Sales Manager 17,000-22,000 22,000-26,000 25,000-32,000 31,000+
Pre-Sales Engineer 18,000-23,000 22,000-24,000 24,000-28,000 28,000+
Inside Sales 10,000-12,000 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 18,000+

Gross salaries (AED per month)

35 *typically, does not exist at this level
TECHNICAL SALES
HIRING TRENDS

Hiring activity slowed comparatively year-on-
year at the start of 2016 for the technical sales
profession. The number of appointments
available during the first half was a slight decline
compared to 2015, as a result of company
restructures and reduced budgets in response to
low oil prices. Correspondingly, the number of
individuals receiving a pay decrease was up
significantly and there was a slight decline in the
number of professionals starting work with a
new company.

TALENT SUPPLY

The volume of available technical sales
candidates has increased year-on-year, not just
as a result of tax- free salaries attracting
expatriates to the region, but also due to an
increasing number of redundancies from
company restructuring. We have seen a rise in
junior technical sales candidates who, for a
relatively small fee compared to senior
candidates, can increase the commercial sales
value of businesses and propel growth.
Significant growth in the demand for sales
professionals will be seen in technical industries,
including healthcare, chemicals, and power
generation. It is likely that in 2017 the demand
for candidates will continue on a positive
trajectory within FMCG, retail and professional
services and be at its slowest within the oil and
gas and construction sectors, in response to the
low oil prices.

SALARY & COMPENSATION TRENDS

Salaries were directly impacted by cost-cutting
exercises in 2016. Not only were salary changes
down year-on-year (49% of professionals
received a change in 2016, compared to 57% in
2015) but 20% of those changes were a decrease,
compared to 3% the previous year. The majority
increased by up to 5%, which is less than the 5-
10% average pay rise experienced within the
profession in 2015. The main reason for an
increase in salary for technical sales professionals
was due to a ‘standard annual pay increase across
the whole company,’ rather than being
individually determined – a further cost cutting
strategy, since the survey found that inflation
rates, specific to the technical sales profession,
were typically higher when individually arranged.
Reductions in salaries have not reduced
employee expectations for 2017. 61% of sales
professionals anticipate a change in the next 12
months, the majority of whom expect a 5-10%
increase

SALARY SURVEY
TECHNICAL SALES

Role 0-3 years’ experience 3-5 years’ experience 5-8 years’ experience 8+ years’ experience
Sales Director 47,000-49,500 49,500-54,500 54,000-61,000 61,000+
Regional Sales Manager 25,000-33,000 33,000-38,000 38,000-42,000 42,000+
District Manager 25,000-30,000 31,000-34,000 34,000-39,000 40,000+
Sales Manager 25,000-30,000 30,000-35,000 35,000-37,000 37,000+
Technical Sales Manager 15,000 - 20,000 20,000 - 26,000 26,000 - 30,000 30,000+
Sales Engineer 12,000-16,000 16,000-21,000 21,000-28,000 28,000+
Systems Engineer 12,000 - 16,000 16,000 - 20,000 20,000 - 26,000 26,000+
Technical Account Manager 15,000 - 17,000 17,000 - 21,000 21,000 - 25,000 25,000+
Application Sales Engineer 9,000-13,000 13,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 *
Pre-Sales Engineer 9,000-12,000 12,000-15,000 15,000-18,000 *

Gross salaries (AED per month)

36 *typically, does not exist at this level