CIPS Procurement Salary Guide 2023 - Southern Africa

Survey finds qualified MCIPS procurement and supply chain professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa receive 50.2% more in salary compared to non-professionals as perception of the value of procurement rises during the pandemic.

• Professional members of CIPS receive 50.2% more in salary than their non-qualified counterparts
• Half of employers struggled to find talented individuals in supply chain management (50%)
• 66% of employers request MCIPS or studying towards these qualifications for potential candidates
• 47% said budget constraints were their biggest challenge.

The annual CIPS Salary Guide sponsored by Hays found procurement professionals earned substantially more than their non-trained counterparts in Sub-Saharan Africa. The research was conducted in early 2023 as 5000 procurement and supply professionals contributed to the report highlighting the skills, salaries, and rewards in the profession. The results from the Sub-Saharan region include the perceptions of procurement and benchmarks salaries and bonuses for different roles. The survey also highlights the career aspirations of procurement professionals and offers advice on how to attract the best talent in the profession across sectors and the world

As the perception of the value of strong procurement and supply chain management skills increased during the pandemic and the awareness of supply chains rose amongst boards and CEOs of organisations and businesses, talent acquisition remained a problem as the search for highly skilled staff intensified.

50% of recruiters for procurement roles said that they struggled to find talent. The perceived value of fully-trained professionals remained high as 66% of employers stated they would seek out MCIPS (fully qualified member of CIPS), or study towards becoming fully qualified ahead of those without this training.

The average salary for all procurement and supply professionals at a professional level, with job roles such as supply chain manager or senior category manager was $47,175 across all job levels in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Gender disparity in Sub-Saharan Africa remained was 20.4% in favour of men.

Turning to challenges faced by procurement in Sub-Saharan Africa in the next year, 47% believed that budget constraints would be an important challenge for procurement professionals and 46% risk management.

In terms of skills 54% said negotiation skills, 54% said supplier relationship management skills and 45% said communications skills.

Nick Welby, CIPS CEO said, “Year after year the reputation of our profession is rising within organisations and across business. Our skills are valued and our sense of the contribution we make to our organisations and economies is increasing.

“Salaries and bonuses awarded at all levels of the profession continue to rise and are again outstripping those across the wider economy. Amongst the most highly qualified in our profession – individuals who have achieved MCIPS – are commanding significantly higher salaries than their non-MCIPS colleagues and are increasingly sought after across all sectors.”

Scott Dance, Director at Hays, specialising in Procurement & Supply Chain recruitment, said, “In the wake of another tumultuous year beset by political, economic and social challenges, including a cost-of-living crisis, ongoing conflict in Ukraine and an escalating climate emergency, the strategic value of procurement and supply chain continues to be self-evident. The volatility has put the focus squarely on what the sector does best – mitigating risk, managing costs and keeping businesses compliant.

“A consequence of soaring inflation rates is that wages have been driven up across the board, with procurement being no exception. Globally, salary increases across procurement have been very positive, with the majority receiving a significant pay rise in the last year.”

The number of procurement and supply chain professionals in the Sub-Saharan African continent is rising quickly. Find out more and download a copy of the report from the CIPS website with a guide on how you can further your career.

November 15, 2023