MENA’s procurement and supply salary market highlights global similarities and differences. It’s a melting point of hiring difficulties and job moves, with key skills in high demand and talent in short supply.
MENA has the highest proportion of professionals looking to change jobs, compared to the global average. It also demonstrates similar high trends for the proportion of employers stating hiring difficulties.
Consistent with the global average, procurement and supply professionals in MENA with MCIPS earn more than those without it and say salary is the main driver for wanting to change jobs. Also of significant importance in MENA, but less apparent elsewhere in the world, is the proportion of MENA employees who show a propensity for wanting to move to a company known for ethical practices.
Another differentiating factor for the region is benefits. MENA professionals show less of a preference for working from home (the most popular benefit globally) and a greater desire for both career development and private medical insurance.
Please note: Our survey sample for MENA this year mostly focuses on those with lower base salaries. Roughly 67% of this year’s sample respondents were those at delivering and managing competency levels, with delivering level professionals accounting for approximately 39% of the sample.
Salaries, bonuses and benefits
The average salary for procurement and supply roles in MENA this year is $72,561 and the average reported salary increase is 13.8% – higher than the global average (8.0%).
A smaller proportion of people in this region say they’ve received a salary increase in the past 12 months than the global average (51% vs 65%).
Professionals at a leader competency level within MENA with MCIPS earn on average 11.6% more than those without it.
The proportion of respondents eligible for bonuses in this region is 62%. Our survey shows eligibility for bonuses generally increases with the seniority of an individual’s role.
Some 74% of employees with MCIPS in MENA are eligible for a bonus, compared to just 54% of those without MCIPS.
75% of employers in the region say bonuses are awarded based on overall company targets; 54% by personal targets; and 40% by team targets.
Employees in the region, however, think personal targets (66%) are a more important awarding criteria for bonuses than company targets (59%).
The top three benefits offered by employers in MENA are private medical insurance (62%), provision of a work mobile phone (45%), and life assurance/death in service (32%).
Skills
While soft skills are rated as important in MENA, technical skills are perceived to be more important. Procurement and supply professionals in the region say the top five skills are negotiation (55%), supplier relationship management (48%), sourcing (40%), communication (38%), and contract management (35%). Perception of the importance of soft skills varies by job level, with those at influencing and leading competency levels rating them differently to those at managing or delivering competency levels. For example, negotiation is seen as considerably more important for those at delivering level (67%) than those at leading level (46%). Supplier relationship management is seen as more important for those at delivering level (53%) and managing level (52%) than those at leading level (35%) and influencing level (39%). Overall, procurement and supply professionals should maintain a balance of soft and technical skills and be proficient in both.
Negotiation (58%) is the most in-demand skill for employers in this region.
Job moves
A greater proportion of people in this region (60%) are expecting to move to a new employer in the next six to 12 months than elsewhere in the world.
Salary (83%) is the top consideration for those looking to move jobs, followed by career progression (78%).
Another differentiator for those looking to move jobs in MENA is a greater-than-average desire to work for an organisation known for ethical practices/sustainable practices/ethical sourcing (73%).
Employees in the region said their top reason for remaining in their current position is that they need more training and development before moving to a new role (41%). Some 23% said they’re not moving because they enjoy their current role.