What should you be earning?

What should you be earning?

We’ve taken salary statistics from the kind people at Middle Eastern job website Bayt.com and recruitment firm Charterhouse Partnership. Bayt’s figures are based on the input of anonymous users, who enter their salaries into the site’s online calculator. Charterhouse Partnership take their stats from their consultants’ knowledge of the UAE market, and collating the salary levels of the jobs that Charterhouse Partnership recruit for each year. Each number refers to the monthly salary in dirhams, excluding bonuses.

Sector focus: banking

Charterhouse Partnership
Branch manager
Low: Dhs25,000
Average: Dhs32,000
Top: Dhs36,000

Private banking director
Low: Dhs40,000
Average: Dhs45,000
Top: Dhs50,000

Chief risk officer
Low: Dhs60,000
Average: Dhs80,000
Top: Dhs100,000

Bayt.com
Personal banker
Average: Dhs9,840

Risk manager
Average: Dhs42,051

Bank teller
Average: Dhs7,441

Banking and cashiering manager
Average: Dhs12,600

Financial analyst
Average: Dhs15,130

Sufyan Shahid, head of business development at Gulf Bankers talks about the increasingly competitive banking sector.

How would you describe the banking industry in Abu Dhabi at present?
It’s fluctuating – because of the instability in Bahrain, Kuwait and Doha, many bankers are coming out of these countries and making their way to the UAE to find work. As Abu Dhabi is the base for many of the country’s financial institutions, of course it will see a large cut of this.

Is the industry getting more competitive?
People are applying vigorously and some are even coming to Abu Dhabi speculatively, taking a month off work to find a job here. Of course this is only possible at some levels: junior and middle management, but it’s not the best way to represent yourself if you’re looking for a senior position.

So let’s talk pay…
The industry is reaching saturation point in terms of hiring, but pay rises are still there. If someone wants to make a move in the industry, now is the time to do it. People are looking for a 30% increase in salaries when they switch jobs and they are getting it.

Sector focus: real estate

Better Homes
Estate agents working on a commission basis.

Low: Dhs10,000
Average: Dhs20,000
Top: Dhs30,000

Bayt.com
Real estate analyst
Average: Dhs12,000

Real estate agent
Average: Dhs10,000

Is housing the city’s expats your bread and butter? (Oh how we’ve complained about you!) Loshini Lawrence, operations manager for Better Homes, talks about the growing real estate industry.

What’s the state of play with Abu Dhabi’s real estate industry?
Abu Dhabi is currently a leasing market. The industry is undergoing a lot of change with property in leasehold areas being delivered, and high-end luxury villas on the main island and A-grade office spaces coming online. These factors are attracting current tenants who live in older buildings to explore which developments are being handed over and commuters to consider living in the capital as rents are expected to become more realistic.

So would you say real estate is a profitable industry to be in at present?
Yes, although it does not have a regulatory framework as can be seen in Dubai yet. Real estate is a growth industry here, since most areas especially off the main island are new developments and communities. Abu Dhabi is an attractive yet challenging place to work, and this makes the dynamic interesting.

How do you see the industry developing this year?
There are huge areas that need to be addressed in terms of legislation, process, etc. Professional companies have an advantage as they have the necessary infrastructure and skills to introduce policies and procedures, raising the benchmark and ensuring that the real estate industry offers best practices.

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At a glance: oil and gas

Charterhouse Partnership
CEO
Low: Dhs60,000
Average: Dhs100,000
High: Dhs150,000

Offshore maintenance engineer
Low: Dhs12,000
Average: Dhs15,000
High: Dhs18,000

Bayt.com
Offshore engineer
Average: Dhs17,000

Turbine operator
Average: Dhs6,050

Corrosion engineer
Average: Dhs18,000

Field service engineer
Average: Dhs11,482

Expert Opinion: Recruitment consultancy Morgan McKinley’s managing director Christo Daniels says, ‘The oil-backed financial solidity of the emirate and the prevailing spirit of entrepreneurship among new government backed SMEs, mean oil and gas is one of Abu Dhabi’s strongest industries. Abu Dhabi is still the best remunerated emirate as things stand, and this is primarily due to the cost of living. A growing population, improved commuting facilities, new office environments, a thriving business community – what’s not to like?’

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At a glance: human resources

Charterhouse Partnership

Emiratisation manager
Low: Dhs20,000
Average: Dhs40,000
High: Dhs60,000

Recruitment manager
Low: Dhs18,000
Average: Dhs25,000
High: Dhs35,000

Training manager
Low: Dhs20,000
Average: Dhs27,500
High: Dhs35,000

Bayt.com
Human resources (general)
Average: Dhs10,793

Training manager
Average: Dhs19,730

Compensation and benefits manager
Average: Dhs28,020

Recruitment administrator
Average: Dhs7,822

Human resource director
Average: Dhs40,746

Expert Opinion: Jennifer Campori, managing director of recruitment firm Charterhouse Partnership, says, ‘One of the areas where we are seeing strong growth for Abu Dhabi is in human resources.’

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At a glance: construction

Charterhouse Partnership

Commercial director
Low: Dhs50,000
Average: Dhs55,000
Top: Dhs65,000

Junior architect
Low: Dhs10,000
Average: Dhs15,000
High: Dhs20,000

Interior designer
Low: Dhs 10,000
Average: Dhs20,000
High: Dhs30,000

Bayt.com
Architecture (general)
Average: 12,820

Interior designer
Average: Dhs7,875

Civil engineer
Average: Dhs12,549

Quantity surveyor
Average: Dhs14,548

Landscape contractor
Average: Dhs25,000

Expert Opinion: Construction Week magazine recently surveyed industry salaries across the field. Stuart Matthews, senior group editor says, ‘The results offered an insight into what may be the most gruelling period the regional construction industry will ever face. People’s answers portrayed a mix of pay cuts, pay rises, delayed payments and increased working hours, all of which add up to a year of tumult. Amid the chaos, there were hints of optimism, along with a distinctly positive shift in the perception of typical company loyalty to employees.’
To read the full results of the most recent Construction Week salary survey visit www.constructionweekonline.com.

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Equal opportunity: does nationality affect your pay grade? click here to view

What’s everyone else earning?

Information technology
Charterhouse Partnership

Chief information officer
Low: Dhs40,000
Average: Dhs50,000
High: Dhs60,000

Helpdesk
Low: Dhs6,000
Average: Dhs10,000
High: Dhs13,000

Support engineer
Low: Dhs10,000
Average: Dhs15,000
High: Dhs25,000

Bayt.com
IT (general)
Average: Dhs18,464

Office support
Charterhouse Partnership

Personal assistant
Low: Dhs15,000
Average: Dhs18,000
High: Dhs30,000

Office manager
Low: Dhs15,000
Average: Dhs22,000
High: Dhs30,000

Admin assistant
Low: Dhs10,000
Average: Dhs12,000
High: Dhs14,000

Bayt.com
Office Assistant
Average: 6,800

Sales and marketing
Charterhouse Partnership

Account management
Low: Dhs11,000
Average: Dhs15,500
High: Dhs20,000

Public relations/events/communications director
Low: Dhs30,000
Average: Dhs40,000
High: Dhs45,000

Marketing manager
Low: Dhs18,000
Average: Dhs20,000
High: Dhs25,000

Bayt.com
Marketing manager
Average: Dhs13,000

Sales account manager
Average: Dhs 14,399

Sales and marketing officer
Average: Dhs6,492

Product supply chain
Charterhouse Partnership

Senior buyer
Low: Dhs12,000
Average: Dhs18,000
High: Dhs22,000

Supply chain manager
Low: Dhs25,000
Average: Dhs35,000
High: Dhs45,000

Vice president, procurement
Low: Dhs50,000
Average: Dhs65,000
High: Dhs85,000

Bayt.com
Supply chain manager
Average: Dhs22,921

Education
Bayt.com

Education consultant
Average: Dhs22,200

Education manager
Average: Dhs23,875

Adult education teacher
Average: Dhs8,225

Teaching aide
Average: Dhs3,500

Legal
Charterhouse Partnership

Legal assistant
Low: Dhs13,000
Average: Dhs16,000
Top: Dhs20,000

Legal secretary
Low: Dhs15,000
Average: Dhs18,000
Top: Dhs23,000

Bayt.com
Legal aide
Average: Dhs45,001

Legal counsel
Average: Dhs29,890

Legal director
Average: Dhs50,001

Food and beverage
Bayt.com

Chef
Average: Dhs6,580

Restaurant manager
Average: Dhs6,500

Bartender
Average: Dhs2,070

Waiter
Average: Dhs1,000

Tourism
Bayt.com

Travel agent
Average: Dhs5,894

Hotel manager
Average: Dhs28,000

Tour operator
Average: Dhs7,000

Catering manager
Average: Dhs20,000

Aviation
Bayt.com

Jet pilot
Average: Dhs30,500

Aviation sales manager
Average: Dhs10,600

Cabin crew
Average: Dhs11,653
All salary estimates (except the Real Estate figures, which were provided by Better Homes) were provided by Charterhouse Partnership (02 406 9819) and Bayt.com’s Salary Search Calculator. For more information, including salary estimates from other sectors, head to www.charterhouseme.ae or www.bayt.com.

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Equal opportunity: does nationality affect your pay grade? click here to view