Specialist recruitment firm Michael Page has published its latest salary guide, showing what skilled professionals in 185 different jobs in South Africa can expect to earn in 2020.
“Overall, we have seen a decline in demand across most industries within South Africa, with certain industries feeling the impact more than others. Companies are looking for ways to increase output and productivity, while at the same time cutting costs,” the group said.
“Therefore, automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, digital and in broader terms, technology is playing a bigger role in achieving the above mentioned goals.”
South Africa is also facing a brain drain of highly skilled labour who are opting to emigrate, the group noted, saying that this is creating a talent gap in the market, further contributing to the challenges of investing in the economy.
According to Michael Page’s survey data, 46% of job seekers in South Africa are not optimistic about the local job market and economy – though most (62%) believe things will improve in the next six months.
One of the top reasons people are looking for a new job is because their current role isn’t offering opportunities for further development.
“Job seekers wanting their responsibilities to broaden,as well as seeking a better salary package, are other reasons motivating their job search,” the group said.
Professional salaries in South Africa
The group’s data for its salary benchmark is derived from the group’s proprietary database, capturing job advertisements and placements throughout 2019.
It is also supplemented with data and insights from other studies such as quarterly job market surveys, and insights from interactions with clients and candidates.
The tables below outline the salary ranges and averages for South African professionals across all sectors. You can download the full report here.
The averages represent annual salaries, in thousands of rands (R’000). Sectors marked with a * show the salary ranges for large companies.
Finance and Accounting*
| From | Average | To | |
| Senior Finance | |||
| Group / Regional CFO | 3 000 | 4 000 | 5 000 |
| Finance Director | 2 000 | 3 000 | 3 500 |
| Financial Controller | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Controlling Roles | |||
| Credit Manager | 700 | 800 | 900 |
| Finance Manager | 850 | 1 200 | 1 250 |
| Senior FP&A Analyst | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Finance Analyst / Associate | 600 | 700 | 800 |
| Financial Accountant CA (SA) | 650 | 750 | 850 |
| Head: Finance Shared Service | 1 200 | 1 400 | 1 600 |
| Finance Shared Service Manager | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Financial Planning & Analysis Manager | 700 | 800 | 900 |
| Financial Accountant (Standard) | 400 | 475 | 550 |
| Audit | |||
| Chief Audit Officer | 1 600 | 2 000 | 2 400 |
| Head of Internal Audit | 1 100 | 1 250 | 1 400 |
| Audit Manager | 800 | 900 | 1 000 |
| Senior (Internal) Auditors | 700 | 800 | 900 |
| Internal Auditors | 450 | 550 | 650 |
| Tax | |||
| Tax Director | 1 600 | 1 900 | 2 200 |
| Senior Tax Manager | 1 000 | 1 200 | 1 400 |
| Tax Manager | 800 | 900 | 1 000 |
| Tax Accountant | 500 | 650 | 800 |
| Other | |||
| Head of Treasury | 1 000 | 1 250 | 1 400 |
| Treasury Manager | 750 | 925 | 1 100 |
| General Manager: Finance | 1 400 | 1 600 | 1 800 |
| Senior Plant Controller | 1 400 | 1 600 | 1 800 |
| Plant Controller | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Commercial Manager | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Factory Finance Manager | 900 | 1 150 | 1 400 |
Information Technology*
| From | Average | To | |
| Executive / Leadership | |||
| Chief Information Officer (CIO) | 1 200 | 1 700 | 2 000 |
| Chief Technology Officer (CTO) | 1 000 | 1 400 | 1 800 |
| Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) | 1 000 | 1 400 | 1 800 |
| IT Director | 1 200 | 1 600 | 2 000 |
| Head of IT | 1 200 | 1 600 | 1 800 |
| IT Manager | 900 | 1 200 | 1 400 |
| IT Security | |||
| IT Security Manager | 1 000 | 1 600 | 2 000 |
| IT Security Engineer | 800 | 800 | 1 000 |
| IT Security Analyst | 350 | 400 | 600 |
| Applications | |||
| IT Applications Director | 1 000 | 1 300 | 1 650 |
| Business Applications Manager | 900 | 1 100 | 1 400 |
| Applications Developer | 400 | 900 | 1 100 |
| Technical / Functional Consultant | 700 | 850 | 1 200 |
| Business Analysis and Project Management | |||
| Head of Project Management Officer | 1 200 | 1 400 | 1 600 |
| Business Intelligence Manager | 1 200 | 1 400 | 1 600 |
| IT Business Partner | 900 | 950 | 1 800 |
| Programme Manager | 1 000 | 1 200 | 1 400 |
| IT Project Manager | 800 | 950 | 1 100 |
| Senior IT Business Analyst | 500 | 750 | 1 100 |
| Business Analyst | 300 | 500 | 800 |
| BI Analyst | 300 | 600 | 800 |
| Architecture | |||
| Chief Enterprise Architect | 1 500 | 1 700 | 2 000 |
| Senior Information Architect | 700 | 900 | 1 200 |
| Enterprise Architect | 900 | 1 100 | 1 500 |
| Information Architect | 600 | 750 | 900 |
| Networking | |||
| Network Architect | 700 | 900 | 1 200 |
| Network Manager | 600 | 800 | 1 100 |
| Network Engineer | 200 | 350 | 700 |
| Network Administrator | 150 | 350 | 500 |
| Data / Database Administration | |||
| Data Architect | 1 100 | 1 300 | 1 600 |
| Database Administrator | 650 | 850 | 900 |
| Database Developer | 400 | 800 | 950 |
| Data Analytics Manager | 1 100 | 1 300 | 1 500 |
| Data Scientist | 650 | 1 200 | 1 600 |
| Data Analyst | 300 | 300 | 750 |
| Technical Services | |||
| Technical Support Manager | 480 | 600 | 700 |
| IT Support Engineer | 200 | 400 | 500 |
| Application Support Analyst | 450 | 550 | 750 |
Engineering and Manufacturing*
| From | Average | To | |
| Manufacturing Director | 1 500 | 1 700 | 2 300 |
| Factory / Plant Manager | 900 | 1 200 | 1 600 |
| Production Manager | 750 | 950 | 1 200 |
| Production Engineer | 550 | 700 | 900 |
| Quality Manager (QA / QC) | 600 | 750 | 950 |
| Quality Engineer (QA / QC) | 500 | 600 | 700 |
| Maintenance Manager | 800 | 900 | 1 050 |
| Maintenance Engineer | 500 | 750 | 900 |
| HSE Manager | 600 | 750 | 950 |
| HSE Engineer | 500 | 700 | 900 |
| R&D / NPD Director | 1 400 | 1 700 | 1 900 |
| R&D / NPD Manager | 750 | 900 | 1 200 |
| R&D / NPD Engineer | 650 | 700 | 950 |
| Regulatory Affairs Director | 1 200 | 1 400 | 1 700 |
| Regulatory Affairs Manager / Associate | 600 | 850 | 1 100 |
| Regulatory Affairs Engineer | 550 | 750 | 800 |
| Continuous Improvement Engineer | 700 | 800 | 900 |
| Project Director | 1 600 | 1 700 | 2 000 |
| Project Manager | 800 | 950 | 1 200 |
| Project Engineer | 650 | 700 | 850 |
| Design Manager | 550 | 650 | 750 |
Procurement*
| From | Average | To | |
| VP of Procurement | 1 800 | 2 300 | 2 800 |
| Procurement Director | 1 600 | 1 900 | 2 200 |
| Head of Procurement | 1 200 | 1 400 | 1 600 |
| Procurement Manager | 900 | 1 050 | 1 200 |
| Category Manager | 900 | 1 050 | 1 200 |
| Category Specialist | 750 | 825 | 900 |
| Buyer / Procurement Specialist / Purchasing Officer | 550 | 650 | 750 |
| Assistant Buyer | 400 | 450 | 500 |
Human Resources
| From | Average | To | |
| Generalist | |||
| VP HR / Chief HR Officer | 2 600 | 2 900 | 3 200 |
| HR Director | 1 500 | 1 950 | 2 400 |
| Head of HR | 1 400 | 1 800 | 2 200 |
| Regional HR Manager / HR Business Partner | 700 | 1 000 | 1 300 |
| HR Manager | 750 | 975 | 1 200 |
| HR Officer | 400 | 475 | 550 |
| Learning and Development / Training | |||
| Head of Learning Development / Director | 1 200 | 1 350 | 1 500 |
| Learning & Development / Training Manager | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Learning & Development / Training Officer | 450 | 525 | 500 |
| Reward | |||
| Head of Reward / C&B | 1 200 | 1 350 | 1 500 |
| Compensation & Benefits Manager | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Compensation & Benefits Officer / Analyst | 450 | 525 | 600 |
| Recruitment / Talent Acquisition | |||
| Head of Talent Acquisition / Director | 1 250 | 1 400 | 1 550 |
| Talent Acquisition Manager | 900 | 1 050 | 1 200 |
| Talent Acquisition Specialist | 500 | 650 | 800 |
Legal
| From | Average | To | |
| In House | |||
| Junior Counsel | 500 | 600 | 700 |
| Legal Counsel | 700 | 850 | 1 000 |
| Senior Legal Counsel | 1 000 | 1 250 | 1 500 |
| General Counsel | 1 500 | 2 250 | 3 000 |
| Legal Secretary | 300 | 400 | 500 |
| Top SA | |||
| Candidate Attorney | 250 | 300 | 500 |
| Associate | 400 | 500 | 600 |
| Senior Associate | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Partner | 1 500 | 2 750 | 4 000 |
| Legal Secretary | 300 | 400 | 500 |
| Boutique Law Firm | |||
| Candidate Attorney | 250 | 300 | 350 |
| Associate | 400 | 550 | 700 |
| Senior Associate | 700 | 850 | 1 000 |
| Partner | 1 000 | 2 000 | 3 000 |
| Legal Secretary | 200 | 300 | 400 |
| International Law Firm | |||
| Candidate Attorney | 250 | 300 | 350 |
| Associate | 500 | 600 | 700 |
| Senior Associate | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Partner | 1 500 | 3 250 | 5 000 |
| Legal Secretary | 300 | 400 | 500 |
| Company Secretary | |||
| Group Company Secretary | 1 500 | 1 800 | 2 100 |
| Company Secretary | 1 000 | 1 250 | 1 500 |
| Assistant Company Secretary | 700 | 850 | 1 000 |
| Legal Compliance | |||
| Head of Compliance | 1 600 | 2 000 | 2 400 |
| Senior Compliance Manager | 1 000 | 1 250 | 1 500 |
| Compliance Manager | 600 | 800 | 1 000 |
Supply Chain and Logistics*
| From | Average | To | |
| VP of Supply Chain | 2 400 | 3 100 | 3 800 |
| Supply Chain / Logistics Director | 1 750 | 2 275 | 2 800 |
| Supply Chain Manager | 900 | 1 150 | 1 400 |
| Demand Planning Manager | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Customer Service Manager | 800 | 950 | 1 100 |
| Distribution Manager | 650 | 725 | 800 |
| Supply Planning Manager | 800 | 900 | 1 000 |
| Logistics Manager | 800 | 1 050 | 1 300 |
| Fleet / Transportation Manager | 700 | 800 | 900 |
| Warehouse Manager | 700 | 800 | 900 |
| Demand / Supply / Inventory Planner | 550 | 625 | 700 |
| Logistics Executive / Coordinator / Specialist | 350 | 415 | 480 |
| Warehouse Supervisor | 400 | 525 | 650 |
| Supply Chain Coordinator | 350 | 400 | 450 |
Sales and Marketing (Consumer)
| From | Average | To | |
| Sales | |||
| VP of Sales | 1 500 | 1 800 | 2 600 |
| General Manager | 1 800 | 2 200 | 2 600 |
| Head of Sales / Sales Director | 1 400 | 1 600 | 2 000 |
| Regional Sales Manager | 1 100 | 1 350 | 1 500 |
| Country Manager | 1 500 | 1 700 | 2 200 |
| National Key Account Manager | 1 000 | 1 200 | 1 400 |
| Key Account Executive | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Marketing | |||
| CMO | 1 800 | 2 200 | 2 600 |
| Head of Marketing / Marketing Director | 1 500 | 1 800 | 2 200 |
| Marketing Manager / Group Product Manager | 1 200 | 1 350 | 1 500 |
| Category Manager | 1 000 | 1 100 | 1 200 |
| Senior Brand Manager | 900 | 1 100 | 1 300 |
| Brand Manager | 800 | 900 | 1 000 |
| Assistant Brand Manager / Marketing Executive | 600 | 700 | 800 |
| Trade Marketing | |||
| Head of Trade Marketing | 1 300 | 1 500 | 1 700 |
| Regional Trade Marketing Manager / Shopper Marketing | 1 200 | 1 300 | 1 400 |
| Trade Marketing Manager / Shopper Marketing | 9100 | 1 100 | 1 200 |
| Trade Marketing Assistant | 750 | 850 | 950 |
| Consumer Insights | |||
| Consumer Insights Director | 1 100 | 1 300 | 1 500 |
| Consumer Insights Manager | 750 | 950 | 1 100 |
| Consumer Insights Executive | 600 | 700 | 900 |
Sales and Marketing (B2B)
| From | Average | To | |
| Sales | |||
| General Manager | 1 800 | 2 200 | 2 800 |
| Head of Sales / Sales Director | 1 500 | 1 650 | 1 800 |
| Regional Sales Manager | 1 200 | 1 500 | 1 700 |
| Business Development Executive | 1 100 | 1 300 | 1 600 |
| Project Sales Manager | 800 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Key Account Manager / Area Sales | 850 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Business Development Executive | 900 | 1 000 | 1 200 |
| Sales Engineer / Specification Specialist | 900 | 1 100 | 1 300 |