Digital and data-driven marketing salaries rise amid steady market conditions

Demand for digital and data-driven marketing skills will again rise this year, pushing up salary expectations even as most Australian professional sales and marketing salaries remain steady.

That’s the view presented by the 17th annual Robert Walters 2016 Global Salary Survey, which incorporates recruitment trends in Australia. While the report indicated salary increases for Australian sales and marketing professionals will be modest across the board, some roles in key areas will be in high demand.

Not surprisingly, as digital technology becomes embedded across many industry sectors, and organisations recognise the need to increase their digital presence and retain customers, the most popular hires are digital, communications and data-driven candidates.

“We saw demand grow in 2015 for marketing candidates who had experience in digital and consumer insights using data analytics across IT, financial services and FMCG. We anticipate this demand to increase again this year,” said Robert Walters Sydney director, Andrew Hanson.

As a result, candidates with hard-to-find digital skills will be less willing to move for the same salary, Robert Walters said.

Sales and marketing were identified as the fifth most in-demand professions across Australia in 2016, behind IT security, risk and compliance finance specialists, experience lawyers and construction engineers.

Nationally, the recruitment firm expected a 1.8 per cent rise in sales and marketing jobs across all verticals.

A similar industry report released by competitive recruitment firm, Hays, also showed digital and editorial skills as the hot ticket for marketing this year. In its Q1 report, the company digital strategies with a solid understanding of the fast-changing digital environment remain in high demand, but also pointed out the widening pool of content-related jobs now being created within marketing functions.

In a year-on-year and state-by-state comparison, Robert Walters also suggested sales and marketing jobs in the commerce and industry sector in Perth can expect one of the highest salary increases, at 5.7 per cent, while sales and marketing workers in the banking and finance sector in Sydney can expect a 3 per cent rise this year.

Robert Walters’ salary figures are based on placements made throughout the previous year, an analysis of roles called in by clients, analysis of candidate interviews and comparison of 2015 salary levels to anticipated 2016 salary levels.

Follow CMO on Twitter: @CMOAustralia, take part in the CMO conversation on LinkedIn: CMO ANZ, join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMOAustralia, or check us out on Google+: google.com/+CmoAu