Recruitment consultancy Robert Walters is tipping salaries for the most sought after digital technology skills to rise 10 percent in 2019 as a result of growing demand and shortage of supply.
It says a culmination of forces will spark a fierce bidding war for specialist technology talent, pushing contract and salary rates for digital roles that are in particularly short supply up by around 10 percent.
"For example, digital design salaries were between $80,000 to $120,000 this year, and are expected to jump to between $90,000 and $130,000 in 2019," Robert Walker says. "Digital insights and analytics managers will command a top salary of $160,000 next year, up $10,000 from 2018."
Robert Walters' New Zealand director Shay Peters said employers would need to pay close attention to their remuneration packages to attract needed talent.
"Organisations are embarking on digital transformation and risk management projects simultaneously," he said. "To get ahead of the competition, hiring managers will need to emphasise their technology roadmap and how recruits can contribute.” he said.
Peters added: “With the government tightening immigration rules, it will be increasingly important for employers to have a thorough understanding of visa categories and regulations."
The findings come from Robert Walter’s annual salary survey — which the company says is based on real placements made by its consultants.
The survey highlighted the forces shaping the war for technology talent as being:
- Technology is New Zealand’s third largest export market, driving demand for specialists;
- Acute technology skills shortages;
- Much-needed tax incentives for research and development to enhance innovation will boost Auckland’s tech start-ups in 2019;
- Tech start-ups will recruit for IT specialists from corporates to lead projects;
- Larger organisations will have to compete for talent by increasing salaries;
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- In 2019, senior and intermediate level IT specialists will be hard to secure in areas such as cyber security, analytics, UX and UI, and DevOps.