Singapore's 2023 salary guide for HR and five other functions

A regional HR director with more than 10 years of experience can earn between S$10,000-S$18,000.

With Singapore's labour market continuing to improve, and with key trends and challenges set to impact the country's labour market in the coming months, employers have had to re-align their budgets and priorities as 2023 approaches.

In that backdrop, PERSOLKelly and SkillsFuture have put together the 2023 Singapore Salary Guide, consolidating the latest salary and job developments across functions and industries.

In this article, HRO dives into one key update: the salaries that five different functions − human resources, accounting, customer service, office support, procurement, supply chain & logistics, and sales & marketing − in Singapore can expect to earn in 2023. Scroll below for the functional salary outlook across Singapore's employment sector.

Human resources

Key trends

• In the second quarter of 2022, job vacancies remained high at 126,100 while retrenchments fell to a record low at 990, an indicative sign of a tight labour market as Singapore recovers from the pandemic.
• Job hopping is on the rise – a trend that is not only widely noticed by employers and recruiters, but also becoming more acceptable among employers.
• Amid today’s increasingly labour-scarce job market, HR professionals and employers have started making adjustments beyond significant pay increments, by introducing mental health benefits, bonuses, flexible working policies, and more, to attract and retain talents.
• As technology continues to impact the role of HR, and spur HR’s shift to deliver higher value work, HR professionals will need to continuously upskill, embrace data and digital technologies, and cultivate a strategic, forward thinking mindset to strengthen their organisation’s human capital and drive business success.

Expected salaries

Hot jobs

HR assistant/officer 

• Years of experience: 1-4
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,200 - S$3,500

HR associate

• Years of experience: 2-5
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$3,500 - S$5,000

HR business partner

• Years of experience: 3-7
• Qualification: Degree
• Salary range: S$4,500 - S$11,500

HR generalist/specialist

• Years of experience: 2-5
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$3,000 - S$5,500

HR senior executive/executive

• Years of experience: 1-4
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,800 - S$6,000

Regional HR senior executive/executive

• Years of experience: 3-5
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$3,500 - S$7,000

L&D senior executive/executive

• Years of experience: 3-5
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$3,000 - S$5,500

L&D administrator

• Years of experience: 1-2
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,500 - S$3,500

Training coordinator

• Years of experience: 2-3
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$3,000 - S$3,500

Overall:

10 most in-demand skills

• Communication
• Teamwork at the workplace
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Microsoft Office (Excel)
• Interviewing
• Collaboration
• Onboarding
• Valuation
• Compensation management
• Stakeholder management

Accounting

Key trends

• There was an increased demand in areas such as tax, risk advisory, mergers and acquisitions, financial forensics and business valuation.
• In a study of job roles in the accounting sector, the majority of roles (78%), which consist of higher value work, were found to require minimal or moderate job redesign over the next two to five years.
• In a volatile business environment, demand for data-driven finance and accounting work is rising.
• Professionals are increasingly expected to assess large volumes of data and employ advanced analytical tools to gain predictive insights and make data-driven decisions.
• Technology skills such as the application of AI, cloud computing, data analysis, and interpretation, as well as robotics and automation will grow in demand. Soft skills such as adaptability, creative thinking, and customer-focused will be in demand too.
• Although the demand for skilled professionals is growing, the competition for talent is stiffening, particularly in sectors such as auditing, as job options for graduates and associates abound.

Expected salaries

Hot jobs

Senior accounts executive/accounts executive

• Years of experience: 1-4
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,800 - S$5,000

Senior accounts officer/accounts officer

• Years of experience: 1-4
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,500 - S$4,200

Finance executive/senior finance executive

• Years of experience: 2-5
• Qualification: Degree
• Salary range: S$2,800 - S$5,000

Finance analysts/senior finance analysts

• Years of experience: 3-7
• Qualification: Degree
• Salary range: S$5,000 - S$7,000

Overall:

10 most in-demand skills

•  Communication
• Teamwork at the workplace
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Microsoft Office (Excel)
• Financial reporting
• Internal controls
• Cost management
• Financial reporting quality
• Legal & compliance management
• Problem solving

Customer service

Key trends

• In Southeast Asia alone, over a third of all digital service consumers are new digital consumers, and are quickly adopting advanced digital behaviours such as mobile payments usage.
• Consumers’ expectations of customer service are increasing. Due to rising costs of goods and services, consumers are not only demanding higher quality customer support and services, but are also actively seeking out companies that can deliver or surpass their expectations.
• Asia-Pacific businesses are expected to outstrip other regions in customer experience investment in 2022.
• There is a strong desire for better customer service experiences in the future, according to 89% of Singapore consumers surveyed.

Expected salaries

Hot jobs

Customer service assistant/officer

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$1,900 - S$3,500

Senior customer service executive/customer service executive

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,200 - S$4,000

Telesales executive

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$1,900 - S$2,400

Telesales officer

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,000 - S$2,300

Nine  most in-demand skills

• Communication
• Teamwork at the workplace
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Microsoft Office (Excel)
• Documentation
• Collaboration
• Sales & business development
• Problem solving
• Business opportunities development

Overall:

Office support

Key trends

• Singapore employees are leaning towards flexible working arrangements – leading to a disconnect between employers and employees.
• Amid the pandemic, the job scope of office support staff has broadened to include a wider repertoire of technology and communication skills.
• Companies will especially value administrative staff who are highly adaptable and resourceful to manage uncertainties and confidently support the execution of business continuity measures.

Expected salaries

Hot jobs

Administrative assistant/coordinator 

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,000 - S$2,300

Administrative executive

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,200 - S$4,000

Executive secretary/PA

• Years of experience: 3-7
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$3,000 - S$6,000

Office administrator/assistant

• Years of experience: 1-5
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,200 - S$4,000

Secretary

• Years of experience: 1-5
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,500 - S$6,000

Overall:

10 most in-demand skills

•  Communication
• Teamwork at the workplace
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Microsoft Office (Excel)
• Problem solving
• Documentation
• PR management
• Governance
• Project management
• Procurement

Procurement, supply chain & logistics

Key trends

• As companies embrace Industry 4.0 technology solutions to capitalise on growth opportunities, all job roles in the logistics sector are correspondingly expected to undergo change within the next three to five years.
• Out of 56 job roles studied in the Singapore government’s Jobs Transformation Map for the sector, around 54% of jobs – accounting for 36,000 workers – will require job redesign or be displaced.
• New roles such as data analysis, software development, and digitalisation and automation job roles are also expected to emerge and accelerate change.

Expected salaries

Hot jobs

Shipping administrator/coordinator

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,500 - S$3,500

Junior/assistant buyer

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,400 - S$3,000

Senior purchasing executive/executive

• Years of experience: 3-5
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,600 - S$5,100

Procurement executive

• Years of experience: 2-5
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,800 - S$4,200

Senior buyer/buyer

• Years of experience: 4-6
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$4,400 - S$6,500

Customer service officer/representative

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,200 - S$4,000

Planner

• Years of experience: 3-5
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$3,700 - S$7,600

Quality assurance inspector

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,200 - S$3,500

Senior supply chain executive/executive

• Years of experience: 1-5
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,500 - S$4,600

Supply chain coordinator

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,300 - S$3,200

Overall:

10 most in-demand skills

• Communication
• Teamwork at the workplace
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Microsoft Office (Excel)
• Problem solving
• Procurement
• Enterprise resource planning system
• Supply chain management
• Project management 
• Inventory management

Sales & marketing

 Key trends

• Companies may deepen their investments in advertising and digital platforms to capitalise on the region’s e-commerce potential, and capture the attention of populations that are spending more and more time online.
• By the end of 2022, digital ad spend in the region is anticipated to grow by 11.3% to S$4.10bn, following an already significant 17.8% growth rate in 2021.
• As the economy opens up in a post-pandemic era, skilled sales and marketing professionals will play critical roles in increasing awareness and demand for products and services, retaining customer loyalty, and driving growth for businesses of all sizes.

Expected salaries

Hot jobs

Campaign manager

• Years of experience: 4-6
• Qualification: Degree
• Salary range: S$4,000 - S$6,200

Marketing assistant/coordinator/officer

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: Diploma
• Salary range: S$3,600 - S$4,800

Marketing manager/assistant manager

• Years of experience: 4-6
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$4,500 - S$7,000

Sales officer

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: N/O Levels/Diploma
• Salary range: S$2,100 - S$3,500

Sales/business development executive

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,800 - S$5,500

Senior sales coordinator/coordinator

• Years of experience: 1-3
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,200 - S$3,500

Senior sales executive/executive

• Years of experience: 2-3
• Qualification: Diploma/degree
• Salary range: S$2,300 - S$4,700

10 most in-demand skills

• Communication
• Teamwork at the workplace
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Microsoft Office (Excel)
• Collaboration
• Digital marketing management
• Creative thinking
• Market strategy
• Research
• Brand management

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