How much digital, IT and tech jobs pay in South Africa
The workplace and workspace has changed dramatically over the past 18 months with a shift to hybrid working for many organisations.
Research has shown that 85% of adults who worked from home during the pandemic now wish to split their time between working remotely and at the company HQ.
Meanwhile, a survey by office space provider, IWG reveals the high premium many people now place on having autonomy over where they work: 72% of participants said they’d forgo a 10% pay rise in favour of retaining hybrid working.
Costly, unreliable, unpredictable and often uncomfortable travel is a daily grind that many of us could happily live without, as IWG’s founder and CEO Mark Dixon decries commuting as the “key enemy”.
Specialist recruitment agency Ad Talent said it learnt some valuable lessons during the Covid period about how clients view candidates in the job market, following a flood of CVs at the start of the pandemic.
“We now have a candidate shortage, not in volume, but in skills. This puts candidates firmly in control of the recruitment process because demand for digital, tech and the soft, reliable work-from-home skills are now paramount when hiring. It’s been a paradigm shift from traditional culture fit solutions that were high on the list pre-covid,” it said.
“Where once there was a quest for homogenous employees that toed the line, our experience is that diversity of skills, character and contribution is what employers are seeking,” Ad Talent said.
Looking beyond the CV has become more important than ever and a washing line of education, employment history and achievements doesn’t impress anymore, it pointed out.
“There is, of course, still the basic requirement to have the skills to do the job, but it’s the softer skills of independence, empathy and big picture thinking that is making the difference. These are criteria that must be explored in the interview process to fully understand the candidate.
“Talent acquisition is now much more than just identifying talent.”
Ad Talent published the results of its annual salary survey earlier this year, pointing out that salaries had stagnated, understandably as a result of the pandemic.
The group stressed that its survey is not intended to be prescriptive, but is a report on what Ad Talent experienced in the past 12 months, ending 2020.
| Digital | 0 – 2 years | 2 – 5 years | 5 – 9 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategist | |||
| Johannesburg | R20 000 – R34 000 | R34 000 – R50 000 | R50 000+ |
| Cape Town | R20 000 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R50 000 | R50 000+ |
| Project Manager | |||
| Johannesburg | R27 000 – R35 000 | R35 000 – R48 000 | R48 000+ |
| Cape Town | R25 000 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R42 000 | R42 000+ |
| Social Media Manager | |||
| Johannesburg | R22 000 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R45 000 | R45 000+ |
| Cape Town | R17 000 – R20 000 | R20 000 – R30 000 | R30 000+ |
| Social Media and Analytics Specialist | |||
| Johannesburg | R24 000 – R33 000 | R33 000 – R50 000 | R50 000+ |
| Cape Town | R19 000 – R28 000 | R28 000 – R42 000 | R42 000+ |
| Social Media Community Manager | |||
| Johannesburg | R15 000 – R22 000 | R22 000 – R38 000 | – |
| Cape Town | R15 000 – R18 000 | R18 000 – R30 000 | – |
| Content Manager | |||
| Johannesburg | R18 000 – R25 000 | R25 000 – R38 000 | R38 000+ |
| Cape Town | R13 000 – R18 000 | R18 000 – R30 000 | R30 000+ |
| Account Executive | |||
| Johannesburg | R17 000 – R20 000 | R20 000 – R23 000 | – |
| Cape Town | R13 000 – R18 000 | R18 000 – R20 000 | – |
| Account Manager | |||
| Johannesburg | R26 500 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R40 000 | – |
| Cape Town | R19 000 – R25 000 | R25 000 – R35 000 | – |
| Account Director | |||
| Johannesburg | R40 000 – R45 000 | R45 000 – R50 000 | – |
| Cape Town | R35 000 – R42 000 | R42 000 – R47 000 | – |
| Group Account Director | |||
| Johannesburg | R49 000 – R54 000 | R54 000 – R58 000 | R58 000+ |
| Cape Town | R47 000 – R52 000 | R52 000 – R55 000 | R55 000+ |
| Client Service Director | |||
| Johannesburg | R56 000 – R60 000 | R60 000 – R67 000 | R67 000+ |
| Cape Town | R48 000 – R50 000 | R50 000 – R60 000 | R60 000+ |
| SEO Specialist | |||
| Johannesburg | R18 000 – R25 000 | R25 000 – R35 000 | R35 000+ |
| Cape Town | R15 000 – R20 000 | R20 000 – R28 000 | R28 000+ |
| PPC Specialist | |||
| Johannesburg | R18 000 – R23 000 | R23 000 – R35 000 | R35 000+ |
| Cape Town | R15 000 – R20 000 | R20 000 – R30 000 | R30 000+ |
| E-Commerce Manager | |||
| Johannesburg | R25 000 – R35 000 | R35 000 – R55 000 | R55 000 – R90 000+ |
| Cape Town | R20 000 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R45 000 | R45 000 – R85 000+ |
| Brand Manager | |||
| Johannesburg | R28 000 – R40 000 | R40 000 – R50 000 | R50 000+ |
| Cape Town | R25 000 – R35 000 | R35 000 – R45 000 | R45 000+ |
| Analyst | |||
| Johannesburg | R20 000 – R25 000 | R25 000 – R40 000 | R40 000+ |
| Cape Town | R18 000 – R23 000 | R23 000 – R36 000 | R36 000+ |
| IT / Tech | 0 – 2 years | 2 – 5 years | 5 – 9 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front-End Developer | |||
| Johannesburg | R20 000 – R39 000 | R39 000 – R59 000 | R59 000+ |
| Cape Town | R18 000 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R49 000 | R49 000+ |
| Back-End Developer | |||
| Johannesburg | R20 000 – R39 000 | R39 000 – R58 000 | R58 000+ |
| Cape Town | R18 000 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R47 000 | R47 000+ |
| Full-Stack Developer | |||
| Johannesburg | R25 000 – R34 000 | R34 000 – R44 000 | R44 000+ |
| Cape Town | R20 000 – R32 000 | R32 000 – R40 000 | R40 000+ |
| QA / Test Engineers | |||
| Johannesburg | R32 000 – R46 000 | R46 000 – R58 000 | R58 000+ |
| Cape Town | R30 000 – R44 000 | R44 000 – R52 000 | R52 000+ |
| Data Analysis | |||
| Johannesburg | R12 000 – R28 000 | R28 000 – R55 000 | R55 000 – R70 000 |
| Cape Town | R12 000 – R27 000 | R27 000 – R55 000 | R55 000 – R69 000 |
| Product Owner | |||
| Johannesburg | R25 000 – R38 000 | R38 000 – R58 000 | R58 000 – R73 000 |
| Cape Town | R25 000 – R38 000 | R38 000 – R58 000 | R58 000 – R73 000 |
| Scrum Masters | |||
| Johannesburg | R20 000 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R55 000 | R55 000 – R62 000 |
| Cape Town | R18 000 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R54 000 | R54 000 – R62 000 |
| IT Manager | |||
| Johannesburg | R20 000 – R35 000 | R35 000 – R55 000 | R55 000+ |
| Cape Town | R17 000 – R25 000 | R25 000 – R45 000 | R45 000+ |
| Creative: Digital | 0 – 2 years | 2 – 5 years | 5 – 9 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Creative Director | |||
| Johannesburg | R50 000 – R62 000 | R62 000 – R82 000 | R82 000+ |
| Cape Town | R40 000 – R50 000 | R50 000 – R70 000 | R70 000+ |
| Digital Copywriter | |||
| Johannesburg | R13 000 – R19 000 | R19 000 – R39 000 | R39 000 – R70 000 |
| Cape Town | R12 000 – R15 000 | R15 000 – R35 000 | R35 000 – R50 000 |
| Digital Art Director | |||
| Johannesburg | R15 000 – R20 000 | R20 000 – R40 000 | R40 000 – R68 000 |
| Cape Town | R13 000 – R16 000 | R16 000 – R35 000 | R35 000 – R50 000 |
| Digital Designer / Multimedia Designer | |||
| Johannesburg | R13 000 – R20 000 | R20 000 – R38 000 | R38 000 – R52 000 |
| Cape Town | R13 000 – R16 000 | R16 000 – R30 000 | R30 000 – R45 000 |
| User Experience (UX) Lead | |||
| Johannesburg | – | – | R78 000+ |
| Cape Town | – | – | R65 000+ |
| User Experience Designers | |||
| Johannesburg | R18 000 – R27 000 | R27 000 – R48 000 | R48 000+ |
| Cape Town | R15 000 – R20 000 | R20 000 – R40 000 | R40 000+ |
| User Interface Designers | |||
| Johannesburg | R19 000 – R28 000 | R28 000 – R44 000 | R44 000+ |
| Cape Town | R17 000 – R22 000 | R22 000 – R35 000 | R35 000+ |
This survey was compiled using:
- Figures of actual placements made by AD TALENT
- Figures from salary information obtained from all candidates interviewed by Ad Talent from January 2020 to December 2020
- Figures from salary information obtained from candidates who have submitted their CVs to Ad Talent
- Cost to company (CTC) figures
- The average salaries per sector
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