Take a look at the highest paying jobs for SA’s major job sectors

Taking into account the higher cost of living and depleting disposable income, job candidates are prioritising higher salary increases above all else when considering new job offers.

This is according to the 2024 South Africa Salary Guide, a report by Michael Page, a recruitment firm.

Factors like the SA economy narrowly averting a recession in 2023Q4 by increasing by 0.1% year-over-year to high interest rates, with the repo rate sitting at 8.25% and the prime lending rate at 11.75% after the South African Reserve Bank kept the interest rates unchanged, have an impact on people.

Michael Page Operating Director: South Africa, Paul Newman, said that amidst these economic dynamics, the market is increasingly need of seasoned professionals with strong technical skills particularly in the technology and renewable energy sectors.

According to Newman, the first quarter of 2024 has seen a slow start to the year from a hiring point of view, however, it is anticipated that there will be an uptake in recruitment demand in the second half of the year.

Salaries and in-demand jobs in SA

The salaries report revealed the salaries and most in-demand jobs for the procurement; supply chain; engineering and manufacturing; finance and accounting; sales and marketing; banking and finance; and technology jobs sectors.

Procurement and Supply Chain
Procurement
	From	Average	To
VP of Procurement	R1.8 million	R2. million	R2.8 million
Supply Chain
	From	Average	To
VP of Supply Chain	R2.4 million	R3.1 million	R3.8 million

In the Procurement and Supply Chain sector these are the jobs that are in demand: supply chain planning, demand planner, procurement manager, logistics manager and plant supervisors.

Engineering and Manufacturing

Engineering and Manufacturing
	From	Average	To
Manufacturing Director	R1.6 million	R1.9 million	R1.7 million

The report showed that the following positions are in demand for the Engineering and Manufacturing sector: head of engineering; project director; health, safety and environment manager; quality assurance/quality control manager; and product supervisor.

Finance and Accounting

Finance and Accounting
Senior Finance
	From	Average	To
Group/Regional CFO	R3 million	R4 million	R5 million
Controlling Roles
	From	Average	To
Credit Manager	R900,000	R1 million	R1.2 million
Audit
	From	Average	To
Chief Audit Officer	R1.6 million	R2 million	R2.4 million
Other
	From	Average	To
Head of Treasury	R1 million	R1.2 million	R1.4 million
Tax
	From	Average	To
Tax Director	R1.6 million	R1.9 million	R2.2 million

In the Finance and Accounting sector there are are five jobs in demand including commercial finance manager/controller, finance business partner, finance manager, regional/Africa experience and head of finance.

Sales and Marketing

Sales and Marketing
Sales (Sales and Marketing B2C)
	From	Average	To
General Manager	R2.3 million	R2.5 million	R3.2 million
Marketing (Sales and Marketing B2C)
	From	Average	To
Chief Marketing Officer	R2.3 million	R2.6 million	R3.2 million
Trade Marketing (Sales and Marketing B2C)
	From	Average	To
Head of Trading	R1.3 million	R1.5 million	R1.7 million
Sales (Sales and Marketing B2B)
	From	Average	To
General Manager	R2.5 million	R3 million	R2.4 million

For the Sales and Marketing sector these are in-demand jobs: business development manager, enterprise sales manager, marketing manager, technical sales manager, digital marketing manager, brand manager, key account manager – national, retail operations manager and head of marketing.

Technology

Technology
Executive/Leadership
	From	Average	To
Chief Information Officer	R1.8 million	R2 million	R.3.5 million
IT Security
	From	Average	To
IT Security Manager	R1.5 million	R1.8 million	R2 million
Applications
	From	Average	To
IT Applications Manager	R1 million	R1.3 million	R1.6 million
Business Analysis & Project Management
	From	Average	To
Head of PMO	R1.2 million	R1.5 million	R2 million
Architecture
	From	Average	To
Chief Enterprise Architect	R1.5 million	R1.7 million	R2 million
Software Development
	From	Average	To
Head of Software Development	R1.1 million	R1.3 million	R2 million
Networking
	From	Average	To
Network Architect	R700,000	R900,000	R1.5 million
Data/Data Administrator
	From	Average	To
Data Architect	R650,000	R1.5 million	R18 million
Technical Services
	From	Average	To
Head of PMO	R1.2 million	R1.5 million	R2 million

In the Technology sector there are six jobs that are in demand, including software developer, cyber security, cloud computing, data scientist, business analyst, and artificial intelligence and machine learning

Banking

Banking
Wholesale Banking
	From	Average	To
Head of Wholesale Banking (EVP)	R2 million	R2.5 million	R3 million
Retail banking
	From	Average	To
Head of Consumer Banking (EVP)	R1.5 million	R1.7 million	R2 million
Investment Banking - M&A/DCM/ECM/LEV FIN
	From	Average	To
Managing Director	R3 million	R3,.5 million	R4 million
Private Equity/Investments
	From	Average	To
Managing Director	R3 million	R3.5 million	R4 million
Insurance
	From	Average	To
Managing Director	R2 million	R2.5 million	R million
Compliance
	From	Average	To
Chief Compliance Officer	R2 million	R2.5 million	R3 million
Risk
	From	Average	To
Chief Risk Officer	R2 million	R2.5 million	R3 million
Operations (Investments/Funds)
	From	Average	To
COO	R2 million	R2.5 million	R3 million

According to the report, jobs that are in-demand for the Banking and Finance sector including: internal audit manager; senior trader; senior relationship manager; business development manager: insurance; head of operations: Cib; corporate finance: M&A; and risk management

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