Procurement and supply professionals in Asia are in high demand, which is reflected in their above-inflation pay increases and willingness to move roles over the next year.
Key findings
- The average salary for a procurement and supply professional in Asia is $57,644.
- MCIPS earn $91,341 on average – over 75% more than non-MCIPS.
- 54% of respondents expect to look for a new role in the next 12 months.
- 83% say that procurement and supply is involved from the start of a project.
- 87% agree that a career in procurement and supply can enable positive social change.
Salaries
Salaries for procurement and supply professionals in Asia have increased significantly since last year. The average salary has risen to $57,644 from $52,810 in 2024.
Over two-thirds of respondents (68%) have received a salary increase in the last 12 months. The average salary increase is 9.46% – above inflation.
Inflation rates vary across Asian economies. According to the Asian Development Bank, the inflation rate in developing Asia (Asian economies that are still in the process of economic development and modernisation) was 2.6% in 2024.[1]1
The value of MCIPS in Asia is clearly highlighted by the survey. On average, respondents with MCIPS are paid over 75% more than those without – $91,341 compared with $47,183. Furthermore, the gap has widened since 2024 when the average salary for MCIPS was $76,365 and the average salary for non-MCIPS stood at $43,297.
Over three-quarters (78%) of MCIPS report having received a salary increase in the last 12 months, compared with 65% of non-MCIPS.
Nearly half of employers (47%) in Asia would prefer to recruit a candidate who either has MCIPS or is studying towards it.
Bonuses
Over two-thirds of respondents in Asia (68%) report being eligible for a bonus – a similar percentage to last year (69%). Women are significantly less likely than men to be eligible for a bonus. This year, only 62% of female respondents are entitled to a bonus, down from 80% in 2024, while 70% of male respondents are entitled to one.
The average bonus as a percentage of salary in Asia is 11.5%. Over three-quarters (76%) of bonuses are awarded for achieving organisational targets, while 59% are awarded for achieving personal targets.
MCIPS are far more likely than non-MCIPS to be entitled to a bonus – 86% compared with 64%. Furthermore, their bonus equates to 15.2% of their annual salary – while it is 9.6% for non-MCIPS.
Benefits
The top three benefits received by procurement and supply professionals in Asia are private medical insurance (53%), life assurance/death-in-service benefits (43%) and flexible working hours (39%). Nevertheless, 37% of respondents would like support for study/career development.
Career mobility
Procurement and supply professionals in Asia are aware that their skills are highly sought after. More than half (54%) of respondents expect to move to a new employer in the next 12 months – up from 46% in 2024.
The two most important factors when considering a new job are salary and career progression, both cited by 80%. Another important factor is their potential employer is well known for its ethical practices/ethical sourcing (69%). The procurement and supply function being highly valued within the organisation is an important consideration for 67%.
A need for additional training and development to step up to a new role is the main reason why respondents in Asia are likely to stay with their current employer (38%). A lack of opportunity is the second-most cited reason (30%).
Encouragingly, work-life balance has improved for 41% of respondents over the past 12 months.
Talent shortage
While talent shortages are an issue in every region surveyed, the problem is most pronounced in Asia. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of employers in Asia have struggled to find the right talent in the past 12 months. Skills is the biggest challenge for them, with over half (55%) citing a lack of sector skills and experience and a lack of technical skills/evidence of formal procurement training. A lack of candidates with soft skills and business skills is an issue for 52%.
This shortage of talent helps to explain why salaries for procurement and supply professionals in the region have increased significantly year-on-year.
Skills
Negotiation skills top the list of skills needed by procurement and supply professionals in Asia, cited by 54%. Next on the list are supplier relationship management skills (43%), followed by sourcing skills (42%).
There has been a significant rise in the percentage of employers emphasising the importance of internal stakeholder management skills. When hiring, over a quarter (27%) of Asian employers now regard these skills as very important, up from 8% in 2024.
Respondents believe integrity and trust (58%), communication skills (48%) and commitment and work ethic (45%) will be the most important skills and characteristics for procurement and supply leaders over the next 10 years.
Perceptions of procurement
Procurement is very positively viewed in Asia, probably due to the region’s pivotal role in world trade. Three-quarters (75%) of respondents agree that procurement is very much valued within their organisation and that the perception of procurement has improved over the last 12 months. In fact, procurement is so valued that 83% of respondents say that procurement and supply is involved from the start of a project.
Additionally, procurement and supply is increasingly seen as a force for social good in Asia. The vast majority of respondents (87%) agree that a career in procurement and supply can enable positive social change – up from 81% in 2024.
- Economic Forecasts for Asia and the Pacific: April 2025, Asian Development Bank, April 2025 ↩︎