These are the UAE’s most in-demand jobs and how much they are paid

As digitalisation ramps up, hiring managers are focusing more on candidates with automation and AI skills

Over 70 per cent of people dislike their jobs and cannot wait to get through the daily grind to reach the weekend, according to WorkItDaily.com. Getty Images

Analyst, developer and finance manager top the list of most in-demand roles in the UAE this year, according to recruitment consultant Robert Half UAE, as employers focus on adapting to an increasingly digitalised business landscape.

While financial planning analysts – needed to plan for automation and digital transformation – can now demand annual salaries of $82,200 (Dh301,928) to $123,500, finance managers, management accounts and network engineers are also highly sought after, Robert Half UAE said.

"If we look further into the way businesses are growing, digitisation, automation and artificial Intelligence continue to transform the world of work and are quickly becoming necessary in meeting the needs of a rapidly evolving market," said Gareth El Mettouri, UAE associate director at Robert Half.

According to the 2018-2019 Salary Survey and Review from Gulf recruiter and training institute Nadia Global, the average age of the UAE workforce is now under 30, with the employment market set to be "significantly impacted" by the digital transformation.

Mr Mettouri said there is now a growing concern among hiring managers over sourcing the right talent to match the demands of the current professional world.

“This has led employers to focus on improving retention, offering more initiatives such as remuneration packages and flexible working and not overlooking the importance of soft skills as integral to a candidate’s profile," he added.

Here are the 10 most in-demand roles in the UAE in 2019, plus how much they can expect to be paid per year:

1. Financial planning analysts ($82,200 – $123,500)

Revenue forecasting and cost minimisation is key for UAE businesses as they adapt to the digitalisation process. Therefore, strategic and analytics roles will become more prominent for accounting and finance businesses.

2. Developers ($52,300 – $125,100)

The rise in the number of UAE start-ups and FinTech companies is placing more pressure on the demand for web and full stack developers, according to Robert Half UAE.

3. Finance managers ($103,000 – $165,000)

Finance managers with two to three years of experience are in high demand, specifically those willing to grow and develop within companies.

4. Management accountants ($63,500 – $117,800)

With more insights needed from finance teams, businesses are now scouring for management accountants with two to three years part-qualified experience.

5. Network engineers ($62,200 – $104,600)

More businesses are looking to adopt platforms that enable the Internet of Things as well as a range of digital transformation programmes. This puts network engineers in great demand across UAE tech firms.

6. Paralegals ($64,000 – $91,500)

Robert Half UAE has noted an increased demand from multinationals for paralegals, particularly those who are bilingual and have local knowledge, who can support contract reviews.

7. Compliance officers - offshore and onshore ($58,900 – $127,500)

With the increasingly regulated environment, Financial Services Regulatory Authority-authorised compliance officers are in big demand in the financial services sector.

8. IT Project Managers ($71,900 – $163,500)

Enterprise resource planning implementation, shared service centres and digital transformation projects are adding pressure on the short supply of effective IT project managers with local experience, said Robert Half UAE.

9. Executive assistants and personal assistants ($49,000 – $98,000)

Business support professionals with the right cultural fit that can help to alleviate the administrative pressures from executives are always in demand.

10. Senior counsel ($89,000 – $220,500)

To help minimise legal advisory costs, more UAE companies are now offering in-house positions.