2. Sigmar Recruitment, established 2002, is a leading Irish
recruitment services company with 15 specialist divisions across
the entire recruitment process and managed service spectrum.
We employ over 100 industry specialists in five offices in Dublin,
Cork, Galway, and Poland.
Sigmar has been recognised as “Recruitment Agency of the
Year” (2014 & 2013) by the National Recruitment Federation
due to our client delivery success, candidate experience and our
innovative recruitment excellence methodologies. Sigmar was
also named “Best in Practice, Sales & Marketing Recruitment
team”in 2015.
Our experience extends across Accountancy, Banking & Financial
Services, Construction & Property, Engineering, HR, IT, Insurance,
Legal, Marketing, Pharmaceutical, Office Administration,
Multilingual, Sales and Supply Chain.
View our current jobs on www.sigmar.ie or contact our team on
+353 1 4744600 or email info@sigmar.ie
Sigmar Recruitment
@SigmarIrl
3. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
iii
All salaries taken as annual in Euros, based on working in Ireland. Bonus/Car Allowance not included. Figures are based on current market
rates. Salaries are subject to variances based on the individual, the company size and other external factors. Parameters indicate the
highest and lowest salary level for each position.
Salary Guide 2015
CEO’s Commentary ............................................................................................................................. 1
Accountancy & Finance ...................................................................................................................... 2
Banking & Financial Services .............................................................................................................. 9
Human Resources ............................................................................................................................. 15
Insurance .......................................................................................................................................... 17
IT ....................................................................................................................................................... 20
Legal ................................................................................................................................................. 29
Marketing ......................................................................................................................................... 31
Multilingual ...................................................................................................................................... 33
Office Support & Administration ...................................................................................................... 34
Sales ................................................................................................................................................. 36
Supply Chain ..................................................................................................................................... 38
Technical ........................................................................................................................................... 40
4. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
1
On behalf of Sigmar Recruitment, we are delighted to present our Salary Guide for 2015.
Ireland’s improved competitiveness has positioned it as one of the most attractive locations
to do business and in turn we saw the IDA announce this year its highest level of job creation
with over 15,000 positions created.
Unemployment is now at its lowest since July 2009 and it is forecast that Ireland will have the
fastest growing economy in European Union, with growth of 3.5 per cent predicted for 2015.
Encouragingly, this growth momentum is not just from multinationals, our own indigenous
companies are also forecasting growth and are planning accordingly.
This returning confidence in the labour market has of course impacted the competition for
talent and this in turn has been reflected in modest salary increases of 5-6% in general.
Another positive in this returning confidence has been the measurable rise in permanent
vacancies. However temporary and contract positions will continue to dominate the
employment market as employers remain cautious about making long-term appointments.
Adrian McGennis
CEO
CEO’s Commentary
5. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
2
Accountancy & Finance
Judging from the market pick-up in the second half of 2014,
2015 is going to be a good year for accountants employed
within the financial services sector. The banking and wider
financial services sector has undoubtedly gone through
some tough years, however with the dust now settled, hiring
across all functions has fully commenced and not solely in the
regulatory and compliance space which had been the main
focus of recent years. Transition and in some cases expansion
is now creating new opportunities. This is also boosted by a
higher level of turnover with candidates deciding to change
jobs more frequently. Salaries are therefore climbing off the
back of these movements in the job market.
Whilst the aforementioned focus on regulatory positions in
banking was a growth area during the recessionary and fallout
years, the majority of accounting departments within banks
shrunk considerably. Re-growing the teams has typically
been stifled unless a clear business requirement existed.
This situation did nothing to increase the remunerations in
the sector. From mid-2014 onwards, we have seen increased
recruitment activity in the banking sector to replace staff
that had been made redundant in previous years. Increased
business activity has led to additional hiring as growth in some
areas kicks back in. In addition to an increase in salaries within
the banking sector, we are also seeing a greater number of
permanent jobs being created.
The insurance sector saw modest growth in 2014. Many
insurance companies have their Solvency II teams in place
at this stage, however these specialist skills will still continue
be required in the market. Salaries will likely increase due
to increased churn in the market as accountants grow more
confident in the market.
The funds sector has seen significant growth in 2014 with
many established companies growing their Irish operations
considerably. This is set to continue in 2015 with multiple
contract and permanent job opportunities available for
accountants with funds backgrounds. With more permanent
jobs available now in 2015 than there has been over the past
5 years, sourcing financial reporting accountants for shorter
term assignments will be considerably harder and will also
incur higher costs for the hiring company due to market
competition.
For 2015, there is one candidate profile that stands out as
the most desired by financial services companies, and that is
a recently qualified ACA accountant from a Big 4 accounting
firm who has gained financial services audit experience. This
demand is set to continue. The average salary for a recently
qualified Big 4 accountant in early 2015 is around €50,000.
This can fluctuate depending on the sub sector of financial
services or the role type as some come with greater reward.
Typically, internal audit and specialist roles will pay more than
regular financial or management accountant positions.
Overall for 2015 experienced and highly skilled accountants
within the financial services sector can expect greater choice
when searching for a new job. As with other sectors, counter
offers are reappearing in the market as current employers
decide to offer financial incentives in order to retain their
talent. All of this has provoked rising salaries which is set to
continue throughout the year.
Financial Services
7. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
4
In 2015 we predict a strong upward curve in accountancy
job opportunities within industry. 2014 saw steady growth
in the accountancy and finance market which was notable
compared to previous years with salaries increasing slightly.
The majority of roles were supplied to the market by large
international companies, with IT software and pharmaceutical
companies hiring significantly. Another welcome trend has
seen Munster and Connaught record notable growth in the
manufacturing, energy and pharmaceutical industries. The
returning confidence to the industry will stimulate churn in
the market with more candidates encouraged to move jobs
where they had previously not considered moving, thus
adding to the amount of opportunities in the market place.
With Ireland being the European hub for many major
international companies, the large shared service centres
and multinationals will continue to recruit in 2015. The IDA
continue to do excellent work in attracting new Foreign Direct
Investment companies to Ireland and it is a safe prediction
that job creation from these companies will continue in
2015. Whilst some multinational companies here may make
strategic decisions to outsource some junior processing roles
outside of Ireland to Eastern Europe or Asia, the net figure
will be offset by the creation of new jobs.
Specialist skills for the industry sector were in very high
demandin2014andthiswillcontinuein2015.Tax,compliance,
internal audit, regulatory and risk are some of the niche sub
sectors within the accountancy profession whereby demand
far outnumbers the supply of suitable candidates. Corporate
finance, lean process improvement specialists, project and
systems accountants will also be in significant demand in
industry sectors. Candidates that specialise in these areas will
have extensive opportunities in 2015 and can expect to be
earning between 5% - 10% more than they were getting paid
in early 2014.
One job type that we expect to see in high demand during
2015 is business and financial analysts. The second half of
2014 saw a significant increase in demand for these skills with
salaries gradually climbing. Candidates with financial planning
and analysis experience will have a significant amount of
options to move to new jobs in 2015.
Accountants with additional European language skills will
continue to be sought after throughout 2015. With so many
international companies basing their EMEA shared service
centres in Ireland, there are a huge amount of jobs in Ireland
that require accountants with linguistic skills. Salaries for
positions that require a second language will often come
with a financial premium, however as operations grow and
turnover in the market increases, multilingual candidates can
expect to earn a higher basic salary.
Encouragingly we have seen modest growth in job vacancies
in the SME sector in H2 of 2014. The majority of this growth
is due to turnover in the sector as candidates move jobs,
with very limited organic growth being recorded. There does
however seem to be a more positive sentiment across the
board with SME companies planning to grow in 2015. Salaries
as things stand however are remaining somewhat stagnant.
We expect flexible workforce trends to continue in 2015
as temporary staffing solutions and contract assignments
remain prominent forms of employment in the market.
Most multinational companies tend to hire accountants
on a contract basis initially due to sign off restrictions from
their US headquarters. We have noticed a change of attitude
towards contract and temporary work amongst accountancy
candidates as many are more are open to undertaking long
term contract roles. They view them as an opportunity to
gain valuable project experience and acknowledge that many
employers cannot commit to permanent hires straightway. It
also becomes common knowledge that in many cases with
specific employers, temporary or contract roles can lead to
permanent appointments. In addition to the slightly higher
salaries that temporary or contract workers expect to receive
as standard, the uplift in the job market has pushed salaries up
for these types of workers. The main factor being that there
is more temptation now for workers from the permanent
side of the job market. This has influenced the rates of pay
as companies look to secure their selected candidates for
the duration of their contracts. Completion bonuses are also
being used more frequently to incentivise the candidate to
see out their contracts.
Overall, our outlook for accountants at all levels in industry in
2015 is a positive one. Job opportunities are on the rise, new
specialised and niche roles are coming up and employers are
actively looking to invest in top level talent.
Industry & Commerce
10. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
7
Professional Services
EXTERNAL AUDIT
As the economy in Ireland continues to grow at a significant
pace, we anticipate continued demand for qualified external
auditors in 2015. The demand will primarily come from the
larger professional services firms; however, 2015 will also
witness the resurgence of small to medium sized practices
seeking to increase their staff numbers significantly for the
first time in the last five years.
With multiple opportunities being created in industry, we
anticipate that qualified auditors will be attracted outside of
practice creating more audit vacancies among practices of all
sizes. We also expect that there will be a shortage of
accountants looking to stay in audit this year so it is crucial
employers are proactive in order to attract and retain the best
talent on the market.
Due to the short supply of accountants looking to stay in
audit, we predict that salaries will improve by 5-10% in 2015
as employers will need to offer competitive salaries in order
to prevent employees leaving once qualified. We anticipate
that 2015 will see higher base salaries and increased bonus
structures that will be used as a tool to retain audit staff.
DUBLIN REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Audit Director 80-100k 75-100k
Audit Senior Manager 65-80k 60-75k
Audit Manager 55-65k 45-60k
Assistant Audit Manager 45-55k 40-50k
Audit Senior (Part Qualified / Qualified) 30-45k 28-45k
Audit Semi Senior (Part Qualified) 20-30K 18-28K
The demand for tax accountants grew significantly in 2014.
Tax specialists at senior, manager and director level are
being sought after in practice, financial services and industry.
There has been a significant demand among top 20 practices
looking to hire tax specialists with strong VAT, corporation tax,
international tax and R&D tax experience.
We predict that 2015 will see the taxation sector continue
to prosper as more employers will seek to hire AITI qualified
tax accountants. With an increased demand for both newly
qualified and experienced tax professionals we expect to see
salary increases of 5-10%. Similar to external auditors there
is a short supply of top tax professionals in Ireland looking to
remain in practice so this is the challenge we see employers
face when trying to attract the best candidates.
2015 will continue to see growth in the taxation sector
in Ireland. With an increased amount of international
organisations looking to expand operations in Ireland,
we anticipate that there will be a huge demand for tax
professionals in the next 12 months.
DUBLIN REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Tax Director 80-100k 75-100k
Tax Senior Manager 65-80k 60-75k
Tax Manager 55-65k 45-60k
Tax Assistant Manager 50-55k 45-50k
Tax Senior (Part Qualified / Qualified) 32-45k 28-45k
Tax Semi Senior (Part Qualified) 22-30k 19-29k
TAXATION
11. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
8
ADVISORY
Job opportunities within advisory and consulting grew
within 2014 as specialist firms were engaged to a greater
degree by their clients for consulting services within process
improvement, corporate finance, internal audit, risk and
compliance. The continued demand placed on large
companies to implement and adhere to a wide range of
corporate governance measures will continue to add to job
creation within professional services consulting in 2015, and
ultimately the salaries being offered to candidates.
We anticipate that 2015 will bring a slight increase in salaries
for advisory consultants particularly at manager and senior
manager levels due to the continued demand for their
expertise. More and more organisations within industry and
financial services are seeking the advice of top consultants
from top 20 practices in order to find ways that will improve
their current processes and procedures. This will result
in a higher demand for advisory consultants among top 20
practices.
DUBLIN REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Advisory Director 80-110k 75-100k
Advisory Senior Manager 60-80k 55-75k
Advisory Manager 55-60k 50-55k
Advisory Senior (Qualified) 45-55k 45-50k
12. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
9
Banking & Financial Services
As predicted, 2014 was a relatively positive year in terms of
growth within the financial services industry in Ireland. In
particular the latter half of 2014 saw a significant increase
in new financial businesses deciding to establish operations
in Ireland and other groups unveiling significant expansion
plans. This led to an increase in both opportunities and
demand for appropriately skilled candidates.
The outset of 2015 brings with it an air of optimism as for
the first time in many years opportunities at executive level of
VP and Director are once again prevalent in the marketplace.
Opportunities at these levels generally have a natural chain
reaction of growth and this coupled with many organisations
forecasting expansion gives us confidence that 2015 should
be a positive year for opportunities. But along with this
growth comes a number of challenges - most notably talent
retention.
With more opportunities forecasted in the marketplace, how
will organisations in 2015 equip themselves to retain their
talent? Indeed restructuring of benefits packages, widening
bonus bands and salary increases are all on the table for the
year ahead across the market.
Domestic/retail banks in 2014 continued to make
redundancies and their demand for talent was predominantly
within debt restructuring and lending arrears albeit on fixed
term contract basis but a number of key private equity groups
have positioned themselves in the marketplace and have
taken on loan books and have hired appropriately qualified
banking staff who were readily available in the market. The
hiring in this space is expected to slow in 2015. The overall
outlook for retail/domestic banking in 2015 still remains
somewhat uncertain with the expectation that more branch
closures, restructuring and outsourcing plans will impact the
need for headcount. Towards the end of last year we did
see a slight upsurge in demand for credit analysts and it is
expected that this demand will continue this year. Salaries
in retail banking have been stagnant for quite a number of
years but it is expected that this year some of the groups who
have completed restructuring exercises will at last be able to
address this and look at increases, benefits and bonuses once
again.
The fund administration/asset management/securities
industry in Ireland has quite simply been the employment
jewel in the crown for financial services over that last
few years, now employing over 12,500 people with the
expectation to grow even further in 2015. This industry has
offered a huge array of opportunities across fund accounting,
transfer agency, custody, middle office, regulatory and client
servicing at all levels. The demand for talent in this area for
2015 is expected to be higher around niche areas of project
management, client on-boarding, trustee, regulatory and
specific product areas like private equity and ETF. Salaries in
this industry have wider bandwidths. Even graduate level has
a range as many graduates come equipped with 6-12 month’s
work experience gained in their third year of study. Talent
management and staff retention has been a major focus of
many organisations in this industry over the last 12 months
and this trend is expected to continue in 2015. There has been
asignificantincreaseinrolesrequiringcandidatestoworkshift
hours either early morning or late evenings to accommodate
various markets. Although shifts are generally rewarded with
premium allowances, recruitment and retention of staff for
specific shifts has proved to be somewhat difficult in 2014 and
with the expectation that more inward business to Ireland
requiring shift patterns is on the cards in 2015 it will remain
a challenging issue to tackle. In the latter half of 2014 and
early 2015 a few financial services organisations have taken
strategic steps in opening up offices away from the city centre
hubs. The implications of this will play out in 2015 and should
be interesting to watch.
13. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
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DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Senior Commercial Banking Manager 60-80k 70-90k 90-130k 55-70k 75-80k 85-110k
Commercial Lending 36-45k 50-60k 65k + 30-35k 40-50k 55k +
Head of Risk Modeling (SAS/SPSS/VBA/SQL) 70-90k 90-110k 100-150k 65-80k 80-100k 100-130k
Credit Risk Modeling (SAS/SPSS/VBA/SQL) 35-48k 45-70k 70-90k 30-40k 45-60k 60k +
Equity Analyst 35-40k 42-50k 50k + 30-35k 40-45k 50k +
Senior Credit Analyst 38-40k 42-50k 60k + 35-40k 40-45k 60k +
Risk Analyst 35-40k 45-55k 65k + 30-35k 35-45k 48k +
Underwriter 30-32k 32-40k 45k + 25-28k 30-35k 45k +
Credit/Loans Administrator 21-24k 25-27k 32k + 20-22k 24-26k 28k +
Mortgage Administrator 21-24k 25-27k 30k + 20-22k 24-26k 28k +
Mortgage Collections 22-26k 26-35k 40-60k 21-24k 25-30k 35k +
Bank Assurance Advisor 21-24k 25-27k 30k + 20-22k 24-26k 28k +
Customer Service 21-24k 25-27k 30k + 21-23k 24-26k 28k +
Retail Banking 19-22k 24-26k 27k + 19-21k 22-24k 25k +
RETAIL BANKING
The demand for talent to undertake contract and temporary
assignments has remained high through 2014 and should
continue to do so over the course of 2015. Employers with
specific short term needs or project focused assignments can
tapintothesupplyofcandidateswhoseecontractingasaviable
career option. Those with specific niche project/product skills
(including regulatory) have been able to capitalise on their
experience and have been able to benefit financially in a high
demand area. For others taking temporary assignments has
been a logical way to re-enter the market place after periods
of travel and has in many cases led to being offered permanent
positions. Overall the contract/temporary assignment
market within financial services has matured quite quickly
under the watchful eye of The Agency Workers Act which
has made huge progress in protecting temporary workers.
The banking and financial services industry in 2015 looks
set to have a year where demand for talent will be pushed
further than it has been in recent years. Demand for
temporary, contract and permanent opportunities across the
sector is set to remain high. Although it is logical to think
that talent demands will drive salary levels higher in specific
areas we fully expect that many groups will concentrate
further on talent retention and talent development to ensure
they have the best talent to drive their businesses forward.
18. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
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Human Resources
The HR market saw continued growth in 2014 and this looks
set to continue throughout 2015. There has been a significant
increase in temporary and contract HR professionals across
the board with a particular emphasis on contract recruiters.
Aligned with global trends there has been an increase in
shared service centres in Ireland, with HR here supporting
operations across the UK and Europe up to regions as large
as EMEA and APAC. With the increase in roles, candidates
who have not moved over the past few years are considering
new opportunities in a more confident market. Employers are
increasingly seeking industry specific HR professionals with
exact requirements on skills making the market more buoyant
but still highly competitive.
IT, financial services and technical recruiters are highly sought
after in the market. Recruiters with strong reach within their
respected fields are being snapped up. This increase in the
market for contract recruiters is an indication of project hiring
trends for restructures and fast organic growth. MNCs are
also hiring on a contract basis initially due to long on-boarding
processes which see more and more contracts converting to
permanent hires.
Due to demand for effective retention management and
succession planning, compensation and benefits specialist
requirements are on the increase. With limited available
candidates at the senior end, companies are looking to lower
level HR candidates with strong aptitudes for analytics with a
view to growing their own talent.
Primary growth sectors for HR are within financial services,
pharmaceuticals, IT and marketing. Demand for HR generalist,
HR business partner and HR management roles has remained
largely consistent, with director levels still recovering.
The regions have also seen an increase in contract and
temporary HR opportunities in the past year. While most roles
in Munster are focused in the cities, there have been roles
right across the region from graduate and administrators up
to HR director level. Across all industry sectors HR generalists
and HR business partners remain in the highest demand in
Munster but we have also seen increased demand for in-
house recruiters. Although the IT and pharmaceutical sectors
dominate across Munster, there are opportunities right across
the finance, hospitality, multilingual and engineering sectors.
In the second half of 2014, we saw a vast increase of vacancies
within Connaught and we foresee further growth in 2015 with
expected newly created roles with MNCs.
Overall 2015 is set to see growth in the HR market with new
start-ups in the market requiring key professionals to attract,
manage and retain their most important asset - their talent
pool. Candidates on the market will need to ensure their CVs
are tailored for each application and put in a lot of interview
preparation before each meeting to make certain they are
competing at the highest level. We have seen slight increases
in salaries - between 3-10%, but by and large salaries are still
below market average from pre-recession times.
20. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
17
Insurance
With another year of improvement within the insurance
space, we have seen a lot of change occur over the last 12
months. A number of mergers and acquisitions have taken
place, new start-ups have been established, independent
brokerages are expanding and large multinationals have set
up shop here. Following on from this, we predict continued
growth in 2015.
Due to the consistent tightening of regulatory controls within
Ireland by the Central Bank, there is an increased demand for
professional accreditations within insurance for fitness and
probity adherence. Predominantly, the movement within the
market over the last two years has been on QFA (Qualified
Financial Advisor) and CIP (Certified Insurance Practitioner)
accreditations.
General Insurance
On the general insurance side, there have been a number of
recent acquisitions by main players resulting in an increased
amount of demand for personal lines and commercial lines
professionals. The underwriting space has also taken a slight
jump recently with the increased need for professionals at a
mid-senior level.
With an increased amount of new business occurring, we
can see that there will be more opportunities becoming
available on the financial lines side. There have been excellent
investments made in the last number of months and some
fantastic companies have moved to Ireland from the U.S.
resulting in demand for insurance professionals outside of the
greater Dublin area.
Life Insurance
The main movement on the life side of insurance has seen
a number of entry level positions opening up over the last
year. There is a clear increase in demand for life assurance
professionals and as a result the starting salaries have begun
to rise in that area. New business and existing business
professionals are in demand, with higher salaries for
candidates with their full QFA.
Brokerages
There has been heightened recruitment needs in a lot
of independent brokerages and it’s evident that there is
progressive growth in the market. There is demand for
candidates with a broker background as they have end-to-end
process experience with great exposure to multiple facets of
the organisation. This is actually a growing need, where there
is less focus placed on hiring professionals for a functionalized
task, and instead there is a requirement for an end-to-end
professional that can take ownership of an entire process. It
gives more autonomy and is less costly.
Claims
On the claims side there hasn’t been much activity, especially
on the home and motor side as it is a very candidate rich
market with not enough jobs to satisfy demand. With
an announcement last year of a substantial increase on
an insurers motor premiums due to government levy on
insurance products, we had the last 12 months to see how
other main players would react in the marketplace. It’s very
apparent that the competitive nature of home and motor
claims means that there are going to be continued increases
in premiums across the board.
Reinsurance
We’ve seen a lot of exciting opportunities arising for graduates
of actuarial mathematics and from the University of Limerick,
risk and management degree programme. The majority of
positions that are arising within reinsurance are either on
the quantitative side for actuarial and underwriting or within
multilingual.
Actuarial & Quantitative
Demand for actuaries has levelled out as predicted last
year, there are still a number of highly sought after graduate
programmesfromthemainplayers.Wehaveseenanumberof
actuarial graduates make the transition into risk and valuation
roles, quantitative roles and finally into underwriting roles.
Salaries are still levelling out, but there is still a higher salary
for Solvency II professionals.
Outsourcing Models
There has been another development in insurance over
the last year where we’ve seen some big players move to
an outsourced recruitment model which unfortunately has
the adverse effect of driving down the starting salaries for
entry-level candidates. On the plus side, it is proving to be a
successful method for a lot of companies with oversight on an
international level becoming more and more common.
22. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
19
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Head of Underwriting - - 80-120k - - 75-110k
Operations Manager - 60-70k 70k + - 50-60k 60k +
Pensions Manager - 45-55k 55-80k - 40-50k 50-75k
Pensions Administrator 26k 32k 36k 24k 28k 32k
Life Underwriter 26k 31k 34k 24k 28k 30k
Life Administrator 26k 31k 34k 24k 28k 30k
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Reinsurance Manager 65-75k 75-85k 85-120k 55-65k 65-75k 75-100k
Reinsurance Underwriter 30-40k 40-55k 55k + 26-35k 35-50k 50k +
Reinsurance Broker 25-32k 32-45k 45k + 25-30k 30-40k 40k +
LIFE & PENSIONS
REINSURANCE
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Head of Compliance - - 90-100k + - - -
Compliance Manager 30-40k 40-70k 70k + 30-40k 40-60k 60k +
Compliance Officer 22-28k 28-40k 40k + 22-25k 25-40k 40k +
COMPLIANCE
23. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
20
IT
2014 saw further strengthening of the ICT market in Ireland,
with growth across all verticals and investment in ICT teams as
multinationals, SMEs and both indigenous and international
start-ups set up in Ireland. This looks set to continue in 2015
with over 85% of employers surveyed expecting to invest
further in IT expertise.
Companies based in Ireland have evolved and adapted to an
ever more globalised marketplace for their products, with
web-based services an area of major growth. As a result there
remains a skills shortage in Ireland for software developers in
particular, with Java, .NET, Python and Ruby on Rails the most
active areas. Roles with a crossover of this knowledge, aligned
with strong business skills, continue to increase in popularity
also.
The sector continues to embrace new technologies quickly,
and we expect to see further activity in Cloud, Mobile, Big
Data and Virtualisation in 2015.
Companies have recognised the necessity to deliver more
flexible solutions to address talent shortages in Ireland,
particularly in areas where development languages are in
high demand (Python, Ruby, Android and iOS) and candidate
availability in Ireland is limited.
This has led to solutions such as remote working becoming
much more commonplace with developers now able to
stay based at home while availing of an Irish-level salary or
contract rate.
In line with recognising the need to bring talent into Ireland
from all areas of Europe many companies have adjusted their
interview processes to accommodate. We are seeing more
companies utilising pre-interview technical assignments,
online test simulations and technical interviews to validate
candidate skill levels.
There is greater flexibility within the hiring process also,
with more companies looking to teleconference and Skype
to complete the majority of the interview process before
meeting with candidates, and more frequently completing
the full interview process and hiring candidates remotely if
based out of the country.
The IT contract market in Ireland has continued to expand
quickly, a trend that began in 2013 and accelerated further
in 2014 and looks set to continue at an increased rate again
in 2015.
Theshortageofskillsindevelopmentlanguagesforcandidates
willing to work in Ireland on a permanent basis across Python,
Ruby, Java, .Net, Android and iOS languages continues to
contribute to the boom in IT Contracting in Ireland. The rates
offered attract candidates from across the whole of Europe
including the UK.
For the first time since the crash of 2008 IT Salaries
are consistently showing an increase across the board,
particularly in the development space. Salary increases are
not incrementally as large as in the Celtic Tiger boom with
companies ensuring more stable growth, although at the
same time recognising the market is moving quickly enough
to validate increases again.
Salary is one consideration for candidates to move into
a new role, but is by no means the only factor. Technology
considerations (particularly the opportunity to move
into more cutting edge technology), career development
and training, work-life balance, benefits and profit share
schemes were among the major factors for ICT professionals
considering remaining with their current employer or making
the move to a new challenge.
24. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
21
For 2015, we predict the following skills will be the most in
demand;
1. Programming & Application Development
Technical areas/languages: Java, Python, Scala, Ruby, .NET.
With Java and .Net still widely dominating demand we have
also seen rapidly increasing demand for other rising stars such
as Python, Ruby and Scala, with teams being set up to work
solely on these technologies, or in conjunction with larger
development teams in multinational companies.
Demandforcandidatesintheseareaswillcontinuethroughout
2015, and salaries will increase accordingly.
2. Web Development and UI/UX Design
Technical areas/languages: Responsive Web Design, HTML,
CSS, JavaScript (more powerful frameworks such as Backbone,
Angular and Ember), PHP.
With companies more and more focusing on their web
presence and the look and feel of websites, focus on web
development and design has seen a large increase in 2014
and this trend will continue throughout 2015. Javascript
frameworks, especially Angular, and also Backbone, Ember
and Node have been very prevalent in demand.
UI and UX teams work closely with the web development
area within many companies, often with web development
and UI roles combined, and this is an area that will continue
to evolve quickly.
Candidates with strong Javascript framework experience can
expect to see salaries rise on 2014 levels.
3. Business Analysis/Project Management
Technical areas/skills: Agile, Waterfall, Scrum, Prince2, PMP
Certification
Demand for BAs and PMs rose in 2014 compared to the
previous year, with increased project activity a sign of the
continuing growth and strength of the IT sector. This demand
readdressedsomeoftheover-supplycreatedbythedownturn
with a good balance of candidate availability to requirements
currently. 2015 should show a similar level of activity again.
Prince 2 and PMP certifications are often required, which
are both very much in demand and often the differentiator
for candidates with similarly matched experience. Agile
experience continues to dominate for software-focused
projects.
4. Information Security
Technical areas/skills: Wireless Network Security, Ethical
Hacking, Risk Assessment, Cloud Security
This is an area that is set to continue increasing in levels of
activity as companies address the threats posed to IT systems.
And as Ireland capitalises on its position as a major IT Hub,
this area will also see requirements for more senior positions,
including management of security aspects for multinational
companies from Ireland.
5. DevOps
Technical skills/areas: Unix/Linux, Virtualisation, Scripting,
Development, Automation (Puppet, Chef etc.)
A strong 2014 will see similar levels of demand in 2015
as organisations consolidate IT processes. Expect to see
further evolution in this area as companies mature their
development-to-operations processes. Further cross-over
and changing responsibilities for systems and software-
focused practitioners will see new opportunities created.
6. Database Administration
Technical areas/skills: Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2,
MySQL, PostgreSQL
Consistent demand throughout 2014 is expected to continue
in 2015 with many of the multinationals locating their
database teams in Ireland.
7. Business Intelligence
Technical areas/skills: SQL Development, IBM Cognos,
Tableau, Oracle BI, SAS BI, SAP Business Objects, Soft Skills in
Presentation, Critical Thinking and Creative Problem Solving
As with the database area demand was very consistent in
2014, and all indications are this will continue for 2015.
Alongside the emergence of Big Data, companies are realising
the potential of the data they generate at local level and
smaller data groups, and are adopting business intelligence
solutions to maximise their understanding - generating a
stable demand for mid-senior level candidates.
8. Big Data
Technical areas/skills: Hadoop, MapReduce, NoSQL, Data
Visualization Development, Statistical Analysis
With several multinationals undertaking Big Data projects last
yearactivityinthisareain2015willagainbestrong.Asprojects
mature, expect to see teams grow in line with increased use
of the capability platform established last year within Ireland.
Candidates with strong academic backgrounds, often at PhD
level, and good experience can command high salaries and
this will continue.
9. Mobile Development & Device Management
Technical areas/skills: iOS App Development, Android App
Development, BYOD Support, Mobile Security
2014 saw many companies concentrate attention on their
mobile applications and mobile functionality. Competition
within this space to ensure applications are user friendly,
reliable and effective is a major battleground and this
continuestobeakeyareawheretalentisrequired.Companies
are restructuring to accommodate remote working and other
solutions to attract talent, and expectations are that this will
continue in 2015.
25. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
22
10. Networking
Technical areas/skills: Wireless Network Design &
Administration, WiFi, LTE, RFID, Network Security
In line with a strengthening IT market 2014 saw increased
activity in networking projects as companies assessed current
solutions, and looked to adopt new solutions. Wireless
networks, further advancement in cloud solutions and more
attention focused on security requirements will drive activity
in this area in 2015. Salaries will remain at similar levels to
2014 with possible slight increases in line with the further
strengthening market.
11. QA and Test
Technical areas/skills: Automation, Performance, Functional
Testing. Automation Test Tools – Selenium, QTP
The increasing software development activity has driven
a resurgence in QA and testing activity accordingly. The
Selenium automation tool has been particularly in demand,
along with QTP and other mature solutions. Salaries will
remain at similar levels to 2014 with a possible premium for
those with strong Selenium experience.
12. Application Support
Technical areas/skills: Unix/Linux, Database Skills, Ability to
Read Code, Debugging, Scripting
With established multinationals, start-ups and SMEs all having
applications support teams based here in Ireland, there will
be a lot of activity in this area in 2015. These positions can
offer excellent progression to full hands-on development
positions and will continue to create interest.
13. Technical Support
Technical areas/skills: Windows Desktop Support, Windows
Admin, Unix/Linux Administration
This is one area where expertise is prevalent in Ireland and
candidate availability is good. Further evolution of cloud
solutions and technical advancements will drive demand this
year.
26. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
23
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Program Managers 80-90k 90-100k 100k + 70-80k 80-90k 90k +
Software 40-50k 55-70k 70-85k + 40-45k 45-55k 55-75k +
Infrastructure 40-50k 50-65k 65-85k + 40-45k 45-55k 55-70k
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Oracle DBA 45k 45-60k 70k + 35-40k 40-55k 55-70k
SQL DBA 45k 45-60k 70k + 35-40K 40-55k 55-70k
DB2 45k 45-60k 70k + 35-40K 40-55k 55-65k
Permanent Salaries
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
APPLICATION SUPPORT DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Chief Technical Officers 85-100K 100-120k 130k + 70-80K 80-90k 90-100k
Business Analysts 30-35k 35-50k 50-70k 25-30k 30-45k 45-60k
Open Source Support 25-30k 30-45k 45-60k 25-30k 30-40k 40-50k
Microsoft Support 30-35k 35-45k 45-60k 25-30k 30-40k 40-55k
Java App Support 30-35k 35-45k 45-60k 25-30k 30-40k 40-55k
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
IT Director/CTO 90-120k 120-130k 130k + 90-100k 100-110k 110k +
IT Managers 60-70k 70-80k 80-90k 50-60k 60-70k 70-80k
Network Engineers 30-35k 35-50k 50-65k 30-35k 35-45k 45-60k
Systems Administrators (UNIX/Linux) 35-40k 40-55k 60k + 30-35k 35-45k 55k +
Systems Administrators (Windows) 35-40k 40-55k 55k + 30-35k 35-45k 50k +
Technical Support (with a language) 25-28k 28-35k 35-38k 24-27k 27-32k 32-35k
Technical Support (without a language) 22-25k 25-32k 35k + 22-24k 24-30k 30-35k
DATABASE ADMINISTRATORS
PROJECT MANAGERS
27. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
24
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Technical Architects 65-70k 70-85k 85k + 60-70k 70-80k 80-120k
BIG DATA Developer 65k 75k 80k 65k 75k 80k +
Java Developer 30-35k 40-55k 55-70k 30-35k 35-50k 50-70k +
.NET Developer 30-35k 40-55k 55-70k 30-35k 35-50k 50-70k +
Front End Developer 30-35k 35-50k 50-60k 30-35k 35-50k 50-70k +
Ruby 30-40k 40-55k 55-65k 30-37k 40-55k 50-70k +
Python 30-35k 35-50k 50-65k 25-30k 30-55k 45-65k +
PHP 25-30k 35-45k 45-60k 25-30k 30-45k 45-65k
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Automated 65-70k 70-80k 80k + 55-65k 65-75k 75k +
Manual 60-65k 65-75k 75k + 55-60k 60-70k 70k +
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Automated 30-40k 40-55k 55-65k 30-35k 35-45k 45-65k
Manual 30-35k 35-45k 45-60k 30-35k 35-45k 45-55k +
QA MANAGERS
QA SPECIALISTS
SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS
MOBILE DEVELOPERS DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
IOS/Android Developer (with prior
development experience)
40-50k 50-60k 65k+ 40-45k 45-55k 55-70k
IOS/Android Developer (no prior
development experience)
30-35k 35-60k 65k+ 23-30k 35-55k 60k+
28. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
25
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Graphic Designers 25-30k 30-40k 40-55k 25-30k 30-40k 40-50k
UI Designer 40-45k 45-55k 55k 35-40k 40-50k 50k +
UX Designer 70k 75-90k 90k + 55-65k 65-70k 80k +
Product Manager 70k 75-85k 85k + 70k 75-85k 85k +
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Java Development Manager 65-75k 75-85k 90-110k 60-70k 70-80k 85-95k
.NET Development Manager 65-75k 75-85k 90-110k 60-70k 70-80k 85-95k
All others 60-70k 70-80k 80-95k 55-65k 65-75k 75-85k
Scrum Master 70k 80k 85k 70k 80k 85k
DATA Scientist 65k 80k 100k 65k 80k 100k
DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS
DESIGN
SAP DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
SAP Consultant 75-85k 85-95k 100k + 75-85k 85-95k 100k +
SAP Project Manager 65-75k 75-85k 85-95k + 65-75k 75-85k 85-95k +
SAP Business Analyst 60-70k 70-85k 85-90k + 60-70k 70-85k 85-90k +
SAP Developer 45-55k 55-65k 65-70k + 45-55k 55-65k 65-70k +
SAP Support 40-45k 45-55k 55k + 40-45k 45-55k 55k +
29. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
26
Contractor Daily Rates
TECHNICAL SUPPORT DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
IT Director/CTO 425-475 475-550 550 + 400-450 450-500 500 +
IT Managers 350-400 400-450 450 + 325-375 375-425 425 +
Network Engineers 200-250 250-300 300-375 180-225 225-275 275-350
Systems Administrators (UNIX/Linux) 250-275 275-350 350 + 250-275 275-325 325 +
Systems Administrators (Windows) 250-275 275-350 350 + 250-275 275-325 325 +
Technical Support (with a language) 150-200 200-250 250 + 150-180 180-220 220 +
Technical Support (without a language) 150-175 175-225 225-250 150-175 175-200 200 +
APPLICATION SUPPORT
DATABASE ADMINISTRATORS
PROJECT MANAGERS
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Business Analysts 250-275 275-325 325-450 200-250 250-325 325-400
Open Source Support 180-220 220-300 300-350 180-200 200-250 250-320
Microsoft Support 200-250 250-320 320-375 180-225 225-275 275-350
Java App Support 200-250 250-320 320-375 180-225 225-275 275-350
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Oracle DBA 250-300 300-400 400-500 200-250 250-350 350-450
SQL DBA 250-300 300-400 400-550 200-250 250-350 350-450
DB2 250-300 300-400 400-500 200-250 250-350 350-450
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Program Managers 500-550 550-650 650 + 450-500 500-600 600 +
Software 300-350 350-450 450 + 300-350 350-425 425 +
Infrastructure 300-350 350-450 450 + 300-350 350-425 425 +
30. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
27
QA MANAGERS
QA SPECIALISTS
SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS
MOBILE DEVELOPERS
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Automated 350-420 420-475 475 + 325-375 375-450 450 +
Manual 350-400 400-450 450 + 350-400 400-450 450 +
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Automated 200-250 250-350 350-400 200-250 250-320 320 +
Manual 175-220 220-300 320 + 175-200 200-300 300 +
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Technical Architects 450-500 500-550 550 + 425-475 475-525 525 +
BIG DATA Developer 300-350 400-450 450 + 300-350 350-425 425 +
Java Developer 225-275 275-400 400-475 200-250 250-350 350-425
.NET Developer 225-275 275-400 400-450 200-250 250-350 350-425
Front End Developer 200-250 250-350 350-450 200-250 250-350 350-425
Ruby 275-300 300-400 400-500 250-300 300-400 400-450
Python 250-300 300-400 400 + 225-275 275-350 350 +
PHP 200-250 250-350 350 + 200-250 250-300 300 +
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
IOS/Android Developer (with prior
development experience)
300-350 350-400 400-500 + 275-325 325-375 375-450
IOS/Android Developer (with no prior
development experience)
200-250 250-350 350-450 + 200-250 250-325 325-400
31. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
28
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Java Development Manager 400-450 450-550 550 + 400-450 450-500 500 +
.NET Development Manager 400-450 450-550 550 + 400-450 450-500 500 +
All others 400-450 450-550 550 + 400-450 450-500 500 +
DATA Scientist 300-350 400-450 450-600 + 300-350 350-425 425 +
Scrum Master 300-350 400-450 450-600 300-350 350-425 425 +
DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS
DESIGN
SAP
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Graphic Designers 150-200 200-275 275-320 105-175 175-250 250-300
UI Designer 300-350 350-400 400 + 250-300 300-350 350 +
UX Designer 375-400 400-450 500 + 300-350 350-400 400 +
Product Manager 350-400 400-450 450-500 300-350 350-400 400 +
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
SAP Consultant - 600-800 800-1000 - 600-800 800-1000
SAP Project Manager - 500-700 700 + - 500-700 700 +
SAP Business Analyst - 450-650 650 + - 450-650 650 +
SAP Developer - 350-400 400 + - 350-400 400 +
SAP Support - 250-350 350 + - 250-350 350 +
32. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
29
Legal
2014 was a positive year for the legal industry with areas
such as funds, corporate banking, commercial property and
IP being at the core of this. Salary levels improved for mid-
senior level appointments during 2014 and with demand
increasing across certain sectors such as technology and IP
we can expect further improvements in 2015.
In-house
There was an increased demand for legal professionals for
in-house roles, with organisations seeing the commercial
benefit of bulking up their in-house legal team. The financial
services sector in particular accounted for the majority of
demand. Funds lawyers and commercial contracts solicitors
were highly sought after and across all industries there was
an increase in demand for compliance professionals. These
trends look set to continue throughout 2015.
In 2015 we will continue to see barristers deciding to leave
the bar. An area most have looked to explore is the regulatory
compliance market. 2014 saw Sigmar place a large number
of barristers into AML roles. Clients observe the strong
legislative background that barristers possess and this can
offer an opportunity to branch out into other areas of law.
Private Practice
2014 saw further improvements within practice. The
returning confidence in the Irish market resulted in increased
hiring, particularly within the Big 6 law firms for both solicitors
and company secretaries. While solicitors with litigation and
banking experience remained in strong demand, a welcome
return to the market is the demand for solicitors with property
and conveyancing experience. We expect this to continue in
2015, along with further demand for those with technology
and IP experience.
These improvements in outlook bode well for newly qualified
solicitors as firms look set to retain more graduates post
qualification and take on more trainees in 2015.
34. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
31
Marketing
Digital marketing will continue to be the growth area in
marketing in 2015. Online skills are in strong demand. In
particular technical skills such as HTML and other coding
language skills are being sought alongside SEO requirements.
Consumer insights and analytics is still a skill set that is highly
in demand, however as a result of a lack of suitably qualified
candidates, some organisations must be prepared to wait for
the right talent or look overseas if necessary.
Business to business (B2B) marketing skills continue to be
in demand with more and more companies now requesting
marketing automation software experience. This is as a result
of the large number of organisations opening their European
HQ here with the objective of growing market share across
EMEA territories.
2014 proved to be a disappointing year for marketing
opportunities in FMCG and Retail marketing. As the economy
improves in 2015, this sector is becoming more competitive
and employers are seeking the assistance of brand managers
and customer marketing managers to gain a competitive edge
this year.
2015 looks set to mirror 2014 with a continuous increase in
contract roles at all levels across all sectors but with a higher
volume in multinational and blue chip organisations.
Overall with the improving economic conditions there
has been an uplift in the market however it remains highly
competitive and employer driven with little change in salaries
in the main.
MARKETING
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Marketing Director 75-85k 80-95k 90-110k 70-80k 75-90k 85-100k
Marketing Manager 45-55k 55-65k 60-70k 40-50k 50-60k 55-65k
Marketing Communications Manager 40-50k 50-60k 60-70k 35-45k 45-55k 55-60k
Brand Manager 40-45k 45-50k 50-55k 35-40k 40-45k 45-50k
Product Manager 50-55k 55-65k 65-80k 45-50k 50-60k 60-70k
Market Research Manager 50-60k 60-65k 65-75k 45-55k 55-60k 60-70k
Market Analyst 28-35k 35-40k 40-50k 25-30k 32-38k 38-45k
Marketing Executive 28-32k 32-42k 42-50k 25-30k 30-35k 38-45k
Marketing Assistant 22-26k 26-28k 28-32k 20-24k 24-26k 26-30k
Graphic Designer 22-28k 30-40k 40-55k 19-25k 25-35k 35-40k
35. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
32
DIGITAL MARKETING
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Head of Digital Marketing 80-85k 85-95k 95-110k 70-80k 75-85k 85-95k
Digital Marketing Manager 45-55k 55-65k 65-80k 40-50k 50-60k 60-70k
Digital Marketing Executive 28-34k 34-40k 40-50k 25-30k 32-38k 38-45k
Social Media Specialist 27-32k 32-40k 40-45k 24-30k 30-36k 36-40k
Content Editor/Manager 26-30k 30-45k 45-55k 24-28k 28-40k 40-50k
PPC Specialist 28-32k 32-40k 40-50k 25-28k 28-36k 36-45k
SEO Specialist 28-32k 32-40k 40-50k 25-28k 28-36k 36-45k
Email Marketing Specialist 30-35k 35-45k 45-50k 26-32k 32-40k 40-45k
PR
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Public Relations Manager 45-50k 50-60k 60-65k 40-45k 45-50k 50-60k
Public Relations Officer 30-35k 35-40k 40-45k 25-30k 30-35k 35-40k
36. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
33
Multilingual
2015 will see further increases in demand for a wide range of
multilingual candidates across all industry sectors. Ireland’s
continued success at attracting FDI companies has resulted in
the establishment of a large number of EMEA HQ’s in Ireland;
success has bred success. Coupled with this is the expansion
or ramp up of the start-up companies of 2013 and 2014. To
top this, there is continued demand from the established
technology and pharmaceutical companies meaning the
demand for multilingual candidates is higher than ever.
2015 will differ from previous years in the scope of the
roles that require multilingual candidates. Previously sales
candidates were highest in demand. This is still true for
2015 but now companies are also looking for a wider variety
of positions from HR, accounting, financial and technical
functions.
Again the larger European markets produce the highest
demand for candidates; Germany, France, Benelux, the
Nordics, however as companies are expanding the demand
for Arabic, Hebrew, Russian and Eastern European Languages
has also grown.
Additionally some companies are expanding their reach
beyond EMEA and require Asian languages; however these
are in small numbers for the time being.
Given the competition for these languages more and more
companies are choosing not to compete for the talent already
in Ireland and are instead seeking either to nurture the
potential of recent graduatess or import talent from abroad.
While both of these options cost money they are helping to
prevent an over-heating of salaries for the current mix of
talent.
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
Customer Service (Junior) 20-25k 19-24k
Customer Service (Senior) 26-31k 25-30k
Technical Support Level 1 22-26k 20-24k
Technical Support Level 2 26-32k 24-30k
Business Development 24-30k 23-28k
Telesales 25-35k 24-33k
Inside Sales 30k-50 28-45k
Channel Sales 38-50k 33-48k
Sales Support 25-33k 24-32k
Order Management/Order Support 23-33k 22-30k
HR Administration 25-32k 24-30k
Team Leader (Customer Service) 30-38k 28-36k
Team Leader (Sales) 35-45k 30-38k
Sales Manager 50-80k 45-70k
Accounts Payable/Receivable 25-32k 24-30k
Credit Collections 23-33k 22-30k
37. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
34
Office Support &
Administration
2014 was a successful year for the office support sector
building on a strong performance in 2013. Over the course
of the year, the office support sector saw a clear increase
in demand for temporary and contract office staff across
multiple sectors. There was also a good supply of maternity
leave contracts on offer throughout the year.
The financial services sector was particularly busy this year
and provided the bulk of the office support business for
2014. Given the general unwillingness of firms to commit to
permanent contracts, it was of little surprise that temporary
and contract roles were very prominent.
Opportunities for well qualified and flexible graduates were
available with many leading companies seeking to recruit
graduates as office juniors with the potential to grow within
their respective companies.
Similar to 2014, well presented, enthusiastic and most
importantly multi-skilled professionals will be in demand
in 2015. In addition to core office administration skills,
employers will remain interested in candidates with exposure
to office management, customer service, administration,
marketing and social media as well as those having superior IT
skills and analytical abilities. Based on increased demand for
tier 1 multi-skilled professionals, we can expect some salary
increases for top talent.
Following discussions with key clients in the office support
sector it also seems that firms intend to hire more office
support staff in the coming year. We foresee that flexible
staffing solutions like temporary workers and contractors will
remain a popular form of employment and in many cases can
lead to long term positions.
We also expect start-up companies who successfully recruited
their core staff to expand further and require additional
support staff. This should have a knock on effect with
increased recruitment in temporary and permanent office
support roles.
The regions have also experienced increases in office support
roles, particularly in the last quarter with demands for
administrators and PAs on the rise. The trend in Munster
continues to see initial fixed term contracts being offered,
usually 3-12 months long. This year the Connaught region has
seen temporary positions (back-fills, new projects, holiday/
sickness cover or maternity contracts) make up the majority
of Office Support roles.
Overall confidence is growing in a lot of industry sectors and
many SMEs and multinational companies expect a very busy
2015 and therefore will increase their headcounts. We expect
that positive recruitment trends will continue in 2015 with
further vacancies for office managers, experienced senior
administrators and executive assistants.
39. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
36
Sales
With returning confidence within the market, 2015 is set to
see growth in sales roles across all business sectors following
on from the steady growth experienced in 2014.
As per previous years the demand for internal sales will
continue to be high with increasing numbers of ICT/
Technology companies based here servicing the European
markets.Naturallythereisaveryhighdemandforexperienced
sales candidates who possess a European language and
increasingly languages from further afield (APAC). Typically,
these companies recruit for candidates across the full sales
cycle, from lead generators to inside sales positions as well as
sales managers.
There was resurgence in B2B sales roles in 2014, particularly
within the engineering and construction markets. We foresee
this continuing in 2015, with demand for sales professionals
with tender process experience in particular.
Increased consumer spending and confidence in the economy
will result in growth within the FMCG retail sector this year.
After minimal recruitment over the past few years, this is a
welcome return to the industry.
There has been little movement in senior positions such as
sales director, commercial director etc., yet with increasing
confidence in the market, we predict more activity in this
space across all business sectors in 2015 as people become
more confident about moving roles.
Due to the returning optimism in the marketplace we predict
small increases in salaries in 2015 both on basic salaries and
in bonuses and commission remuneration. This is the first
growth in salaries seen in many sectors since 2008. However
companies are still focussed on competitiveness so this
growth will be of a modest nature.
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
Basic Earnings Basic Earnings
Commercial Director 80-120k 100-150k 80-100k 100-130k
Sales Director 75-100k 100-130k 70-80k 90-100k
Senior Sales Manager 55-75k 75-85k 50-65k 65-80k
Sales Consultant (2 years +) 35-45k 50-60k 28-38k 40-50k
Telesales 36-30k 36-40k 22-26k 30-40k
GENERAL
FINANCIAL/INSURANCE DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
Basic Earnings Basic Earnings
Sales Representative/Business Development Executive 30-40k 40-60k 28-38k 40-55k
Inside Sales 28-34k 38-44k 26-31k 34-40k
41. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
38
Supply Chain
2014 saw marked improvement in supply chain recruitment
with increased demand for logistics, freight, warehousing,
planning and procurement professionals across a wide variety
of industry sectors.
Planners and in particular demand, supply and production
planners have been in high demand particularly within the
food and pharmaceutical industries and we expect this to
continue throughout 2015. The majority of planner roles are
generally 6-12 month contracts and as there is a shortage of
skilled planners in the market, these roles are particularly
hard to fill. Therefore in order to attract top talent, we do
foresee salary increases in this area.
We also saw a marked increase in the number of freight roles
in the market, particularly ocean freight positions. And with
Irish imports and exports continuing to increase we expect
to see continued demand for freight clerks and transport
planners. Candidates in this area particularly those with air
and sea freight experience can be hard to find and therefore
can demand a higher salary.
Overall, we expect continued growth in the market and a wide
variety of roles coming through from industries in the area
of transport, logistics, procurement, planning and general
supply chain (supply chain managers, materials managers,
supply chain analysts and coordinators). The market is picking
up and strong candidates are becoming harder to find so we
will see skill gaps appearing in certain areas throughout 2015
e.g. demand planners, ocean freight forwarders.
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Operations Manager 50-55k 55-60k 60k + 40-45k 45-55k 55k +
Warehouse Manager 40-50k 45-50k 50k + 35-45k 45-50k 50k +
Warehouse Supervisor 30-35k 35-40k 40k + 30-35k 35-40k 40k +
Inventory Manager 40-50k 50-60k 60k + 40-45k 45-50k 50k +
Transport Manager 35-40k 40-50k 50k + 30-40k 40-45k 45k +
Logistics Manager 40-45k 45-50k 60k + 35-40k 40-50k 50k +
Logistics Coordinator 25-30k 30-35k 35-40k 23-27k 27-32k 32k +
Freight Manager 40-45k 45-50k 50k + 35-40k 40-45k 45k +
Freight Clerk 25-28k 28-35k 35-45k 25-28k 28-32k 32-40k
Artic Driver 25-35k - - 20-30k - -
LOGISTICS
43. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
40
Technical
Last year was a turbulent time for a few of the pharmaceutical
industry’s biggest players due to the patent cliff and
the transition some large producers were making from
blockbuster drugs to the development of new products
and lines. This along with mergers and buy-outs led to
organisations restructuring as they looked to maintain steady
revenue.
In contrast to 2014, when there was little movement, 2015
is set to be the comeback year for the Irish pharmaceutical
industry. We foresee an increase in the number of vacancies
on the market as new entrants to the Irish market increase
hiring and confidence returns to candidates. However, due
to the upheaval within the sector in 2014, we expect salaries
to remain consistent throughout 2015 with perhaps slight
increases for those in the medical device field, as they have
been the most stable.
Recent developments such as the entry of Jazz Pharmaceutical
to the Irish market and the acquisition of Forest Laboratories
and Allergan by Actavis will result in the combining of 3 major
players in the pharmaceutical market in Ireland and cements
our reputation as a major hub for the global pharmaceutical
market.
CLINICAL RESEARCH
Regionally, Regeneron’s investment to refurbish a large
biotech plant in Limerick will have a positive impact on the
demand for validation and QA engineers and provides a boost
to the South West market.
We will also see an increase in vacancies for production, QA
and QC roles within the pharmaceutical industry in 2015 as
companies begin to release new products onto the market in
the hope of regaining some of the market share they lost last
year. Demand for regulatory affairs professionals on the other
hand remains low. Regionally, the demand for medical device
manufacturing professionals shows no sign of abating in the
Midlands or the West.
Overall, we can see continued growth in this sector and an
increase in employment at all levels.
Life Sciences
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Director 70k + 82k + 90k + 60k + 70k + 80k +
Trials Manager 35-45k 45-50k 50k + 35-40k 40-45k 45k +
Trials Supervisor 33-35k 35-45k 45k + 30-35k 35-40k 40k +
Data Coordinator 27-30k 30-38k 38k + 25-30k 30-35k 35k +
45. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
42
2014hasdelivered4.4%growththroughoutthemanufacturing
sector with particular gains in the medical device sector. The
IDA have seen their highest level of new start-ups since 2008
across all areas including engineering which bodes well for
further growth in 2015.
Heavyequipmentengineeringcompaniesexperiencedgrowth
in 2014 and we see this continuing in 2015. This growth has
led to increased demand for technically adept mechanical
design professionals, who are comfortable in complex,
multiple component designs in fast paced environments. Early
indicators point towards a greater demand in production of
bespokemechanicalparts,onalargescale,leadingtoagreater
number of permanent positions. The demand for mechanical
and electrical engineers in precision and heavy engineering
will continue to be strong with a number of successful Irish
and multinational companies expanding operations.
As we near the abolition of the milk quotas, food companies
are positioning themselves to manage the increase in supply
ofbeefanddairyproducts.Thiswillleadtocapitalexpenditure
with companies considering plant expansions and new
product development as opportunities to grow. Currently
four new plants have been built or are at the latter stages of
completion to accommodate the increase in raw materials.
Global markets, in particularly the Asian and African markets,
will provide our exporters with massive opportunities which
will have a knock on increase in employment in Ireland.
Automation, process, design, electrical and electronic
engineers continued to be in high demand across all areas
from power generation to food production in 2014. Such
candidates are still in short supply as colleges increase their
courses to meet the demand for talent in the market. This has
led to said professionals being primarily contractors with this
trend set to continue throughout the year.
Lean implementation and optimisation will continue to
grow in 2015. Companies, whether designing new plants
or developing current ones, are looking to maximise their
assets and lean practitioners are proving a formidable aid.
These implementations have already positively impacted
recruitment across engineering, production, operations,
supply chain and R&D.
With the increase in growth of engineering companies we
predict salaries to rise slightly across mechanical and R&D
engineeringroles.TheFMCGsectorwillprobablynotfluctuate
much from 2014 levels. As per recent years, companies will
tend to look for a ‘perfect fit’ and hire candidates who have
experience working in their specific industry sector.
Engineering
47. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
44
Construction & Property Services
Optimism returned to the Irish construction sector in 2014
and all signs for 2015 point to continuing recovery. According
to the Irish Construction Industry website irishconstruction.
com, “the building and construction industry increased its
volume of output by 4.1% in the second quarter of 2014 when
compared to the previous year”. Demand for engineers and
site managers in general contracting has risen and building
services has remained a strong area.
For us in Sigmar, it is noticeable how candidates for areas
such as site management, quantity surveying and health &
safety are in higher demand and more difficult to source in
recent months – also there is a noticeable increase in roles
due to expansion as opposed to replacement of staff leaving
this year.
Driversforthisgrowthincludethecontinuedincreaseinactivity
within the industry with new projects being announced, and
there are a number of high profile developments to come
in 2015 such as the redevelopment of the Bolands Mills
sites. Government investment looks set to increase with the
Construction 2020 strategy being published, and in related
developments, renewable energy projects, particularly in
wind power, are set to result in increased employment for
those in the civil engineering sector. Foreign Direct Investment
has continued to be a major source of employment on large
scale projects - the investment by Regeneron in Limerick on
the old Dell site is a good example of this.
Looking to the future, most opinion makers are forecasting
steadygrowthforthenextfewyears.Inresidentialconstruction
the ESRI predict that between 10,000 and 12,000 new houses
will be needed between now and 2015. Further predictions
project that this requirement will double to between 20,000
and 25,000 homes to accommodate ongoing demographic
change. In addition, the Society of Chartered Surveyors has
predicted a 30% increase in construction industry output over
the next 4 years which would lead to substantial employment
growth.
This recovery of the industry is likely to result in an increase
in the number of vacancies on the market but it will be more
difficult for construction companies to attract sufficiently
skilled professionals. As the Irish construction market has
seen a rebound in job opportunities, there are now not
enough suitably qualified graduates to fill junior roles. The
downturn in the building sector five years ago triggered
a dramatic fall in secondary school leavers interest in third
level study in courses linked to this area. According to the
Career and Education news between 2008 and 2013, CAO first
preferences for construction related courses plunged from
552 to 195. Engineers Ireland also recently highlighted that
there will be a shortage of engineering graduates in the years
ahead and that during the 2013/2014 academic year only 62
construction engineers graduated. An additional problem
of having a percentage of our skilled construction workers
overseas on high tax-free salaries poses further problems for
engineering companies in relation to the recruitment of staff.
In the short to medium term these factors are also exerting
upward pressure on salaries in Ireland, as project managers,
quantity surveyors and site engineers are seeing an increase
in the rates of pay available.
The ongoing recovery of the construction industry is very
welcome and 2015 will see an increase of opportunities on
the market as new projects begin.
48. Sigmar Recruitment | Salary Guide 2015
45
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Facilities Manager (Hard & Soft Services) 35-40k 45-50k 50-65k 33-38k 38-45k 45-55k
Facilities Engineer 30-38k 35-50k 50k + 35k 45k 50k +
Building Services Engineer 30-35k 40-45k 50k + 32k 40k 50k +
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Architect 30-35k + 45k + 50k + 30-33k 35-45k 45k +
Architectural Technician 30k + 35-38k + 40-45k 25-30k 30-35k 35-40k
Planning Consultant 30-35k 40-50k 50k + 30-33k 38-45k 45k +
Engineering Design Consultant 30-35k 35-45k 45k + 30-32k 38-40k + 45k +
CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
HEALTH & SAFETY
DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Health & Safety Manager - 40-50k 50k+ - 40-45k 45k +
Health & Safety Officer 25-30k 35-40k 40-45k 25-30k 30-35k 35-40k
PROPERTY SERVICES
SITE BASED ROLES DUBLIN REST OF IRELAND
1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp 1-2 Years Exp 3-5 Years Exp 5 Years+ Exp
Contracts Manager - 55-60k 60k + - 50-55k 55k +
Project Manager 45k 50-55k 55k + 40k 45-50k 50-55k
Site Manager 40k 45-50k 50-55k 35k 40-45k 45-50k
Site Engineer 28-32k 32-40k 40k + 25-30k 30-35k 35-40k
Quantity Surveyors 36-40k 40-45k 45k + 32-35k 35-40k 45k +
