SALARY SURVEY 2013 - Robert Walters Singapore

BEIJINGBEIJINGSALES&MARKETINGBEIJINGSALES&MARKETINGSALES&MARKETINGRobertWaltersGlobalSalarySurvey2013 238Oursalesandmarketingdivisionrecruitspermanentpositionsforallmajorbusiness-to-consumerandbusiness-to-businessindustrysectors,includingFMCG,cosmetics,retail,luxury,automotive,machinery,electronics,energyandIT.Itspecialisesinmidtosenior-levelroles,suchasaccountmanagers,businessdevelopmentmanagers,productmanagers,marketingdirectors,regionalsalesmanagers,salesdirectorsandsalesGM/VPs.MarketOverviewConsumerAlthoughmostbusinessesinChinawereaffectedbytheeconomicslowdown,theconsumersalesandmarketingsectorprovedrelativelyresilienttomarketconditions.RecruitmentlevelsremainedhighwithintheFMCG,retailandluxuryindustries,withanumberofinternationalbrandsexpandingto‘Tier2’citiesinNorthChina.AsignificantnumberofprofessionalswithbrandmanagementexperiencemovedtoShanghaiduetotheimprovedcareerprospectsonoffer,whichcausedthetalentpooltoshrinkinBeijing.Asaresult,brandmanagerswereinparticularlyhighdemandandshortsupply.Asbusinessesexpandedrapidly,therewasalsodemandforbusinessdevelopmentprofessionals,storemanagers,brandmanagersandtrainingmanagers.CandidateswereoptimisticabouttheirjobprospectsinthegrowingFMCGandretailindustries.Manywereopentonewopportunitiesandimprovedremuneration.Storemanagerswereparticularlyopentomovingjobs,withmosttypicallydoingsoeachyear.Training,businessdevelopmentandmarketingprofessionals,however,placedmorevalueonjobstability.Overall,salarylevelsremainedrelativelystablethroughout2012.However,thosechangingjobsreceivedincrementsofupto20-30%whilesomebrandmanagerswerealsoabletocommandapremium.ProfessionalsworkingwithintheFMCG,retailandluxurysectorswhostayedintheirexistingrolestypicallyreceivedsalaryincreasesofaround20%.IndustrialIndustrialsalesandmarketingjoblevelsvariedbysector.Forexample,theITsectorremainedfairlyactivethroughouttheyear,whiledemandwithinthemachinery,automotiveandoilandgassectorswascomparablewiththerelativelyhighlevelsseenin2011.However,hiringactivitydecreasedslightlywithinthetelecommunicationssector.Althoughmostrecruitmentwasonareplacementbasis,wesawcreationofnewheadcountwithintwonewsectors-namelyhealthcareandlifesciencesduetothegovernment’sinitiativesonimprovingandstrengtheningthequalitystandardsintheseindustries.Inaddition,wealsoobserveddemandforprofessionalswithcloud-relatedsalesexperienceasITsharedservicecentresfocusedonpositioningthemselvesastotalsolutionsproviders.Employersgenerallypreferredlocalbilingualtalentwhenhiringforsales-relatedandmarketingrolesduetothestronglocalnetworkandunderstandingoflocalmarketsthattheseprofessionalspossessed.Industrialsalesandmarketingcandidateswereparticularlyoptimisticduetotherelativelypositiveoutlookofthismarket.However,professionalsworkingwithinthetelecommunicationsandautomotivesectorsremainedcautious.Theytypicallyexpectedsalaryincrementsof20-25%whenmovingrolesbutsomewereseenwillingtocompromiseforlessifpresentedwithbettercareeropportunities.Incontrast,seniorlevelprofessionalswerelessmotivatedbysalaryincrements,withmanypreferingtoswitchtocompanieswithbetterproductsandwhichprovidedbiggerjobscope.Outlookfor2013WeanticipatethatthemarketwillrecoverslightlyandfirmswithintheITandrailway/infrastructuresectorsarelikelytohireconsistently.Somesectors,suchashealthcareandlifescience,willcontinuetogrowandorganisationsinthisspacewilllooktohiremoresalesprofessionalstomeettheirneedsforalargerworkforce.Talentretentionwillbeakeychallengeforemployers,particularlywithintheconsumerluxurysector.AnumberofmultinationalcompaniesareexpectedtoexpandtheirbusinessesinChinaandthiswillfurtherleadtostiffercompetitionfortopcandidates.Asaresult,weexpectprofessionalsmovingrolesinthisareatoreceivesalaryincreasesofupto30%asorganisationsfighttosecurethehighest-calibreprofessionals.