Salary Survey 2023: Who earns what in adland & marketing in South Africa

By MarkLives. Ad Talent Africa has released its 2023 salary survey, offering insight on who earns what in adland and marketing in South Africa. This annual survey isn’t intended to be prescriptive but is a report on what this specific recruiter has experienced over the course of the last year.

The survey found remote and hybrid working has been a key driver in the narrowing of the gap between salaries in Johannesburg, Cape Town and other centres. “Hybrid working has contributed to the flattening of the salary curve across the country, especially in the tech space,” says Stacey Bossenger, Ad Talent MD. “Being paid what the job is worth, irrespective of where you physically reside, has flattened the curve. Technology, flexibility, commuter costs and time, loadshedding and demand for a more balanced work-life have been factors that have strongly influenced working environments.”

Job descriptions/titles have become less rigid than in previous surveys and it’s Ad Talent’s experience that roles are becoming more hybridised. Skills before qualifications is becoming more top of mind for hiring as the tech and digital space expand.

“International markets have come to South Africa. We have seen more candidates accept work from overseas companies — who value the work ethic, skills and cost effectiveness of employing South Africans — that give them the flexibility and lifestyle they are looking for,” adds Bossenger. “Skilled candidates are in demand, as has always been the case, but now there is serious competition from pound and dollar-based countries.”

Skills, experience and slow decision-making were key observations in the hiring process last year. Continued economic uncertainty, along with the challenges to replace skills, has strongly influenced hiring decisions. “Ad Talent has seen an increase in counter-offers from employers when resignations are tended as a result of the skills shortage and the loss of experience that comes with resignations,” she says. The counter-offer generally implies a salary increase but employee flexibility is also a strong factor that influences the decision.

Finally, temporary employment services, especially in tech and creative, have gained traction among some employers. The flexibility it gives them to hire on fixed contract, assignments or a non-permanent basis has created a freelance salary band that is steadily growing.

	0–2 yrs (light)	2–5 yrs (medium)	5–9 yrs (heavyweight)
Advertising
Managing director
Johannesburg	R90k–R100k	R100k–R150k	R150k+
Cape Town	R75k–R100k	R100k–R140k	R140k+
Deputy MD
JHB	R85k–R94k	R94k–R100k	R100k+
CT	R75k–R90k	R90k–R100k	R100k+
Client service/business unit director
JHB	R60k–R70k	R70k–R85k	R85k+
CT	R50k–R55k	R55k–R80k	R80k+
Group account director
JHB	R49k–R54k	R54k–R60k	R60k+
CT	R45k–R50k	R50k–R55k	R55k+
Account director
JHB	R40k–R45k	R45k–R50k	N/A
CT	R38k–R42k	R42k–R48k	N/A
Account manager
JHB	R25k–R27k	R27k–R36k	N/A
CT	R20k–R25k	R25k–R32k	N/A
Account executive
JHB	R18k–R20k	R20k–R25k	N/A
CT	R12k–R15k	R15k–R17k	N/A
Project manager
JHB	R27k–R40k	R40k–R45k	R45k+
CT	R23k–R34k	R34k–R43k	R43k+
Operations
JHB	R49k–R60k	R60k–R80k	R80k+
CT	R45k–R57k	R57k–R70k	R70k+
Production
JHB	R14k–R22k	R22k–R40k	R40k+
CT	R12k–R20k	R20k–R35k	R35k+
Traffic
JHB	R15k–R22k	R22k–R40k	R40k+
CT	R15k–R20k	R20k–R37k	R37k+
Strategic planning director
JHB	R63k–R70k	R70k–R89k	R89k+
CT	R58k–R68k	R68k–R85k	R85k+
Strategic planner
JHB	R18k–R30k	R30k–R47k	R47k+
CT	R18k–R30k	R30k–R47k	R47k+
Digital
Digital strategist
JHB	R27k–R38k	R38k–R55k	R55k+
CT	R25k–R38k	R38k–R55k	R55k+
Social media manager
JHB	R23k–R35k	R35k–R48k	R48k+
CT	R20k–R30k	R30k–R40k	R40k+
Head of social media
JHB	R45k–R50k	R50k–R65k	R65k+
CT	R40k–R48k	R48k–R62k	R62k+
Social media community manager
JHB	R18k–R28k	R28k–R40k	R40k+
CT	R15k–R25k	R25k–R35k	R35k+
Influencer marketer
JHB	R18k–R30k	R30k–R45k	R45k+
CT	R15k–R28k	R28k–R40k	R40k+
Campaign manager
JHB	R25k–R35k	R32k–R42k	R42k+
CT	R22k–R32k	R32k–R38k	R38k+
Content manager
JHB	R20k–R38k	R38k–R43k	R43k+
CT	R20k–R30k	R30k–R40k	R40k+
Digital account executive
JHB	R18k–R22k	R22k–R28k	R28k+
CT	R16k–R20k	R20k–R25k	R25k+
Digital account manager
JHB	R28 500–R35k	R35k–R45k	R45k+
CT	R25k–R32k	R32k–R42k	R42k+
Digital account director
JHB	R40k–R48k	R48k–R55k	R55k+
CT	R40k–R45k	R45k–R52k	R52k+
Digital group account director
JHB	R55k–R60k	R60k–R70k	R70k+
CT	R52k–R58k	R58k–R65k	R65k+
Seo specialist/manager
JHB	R25k–R32k	R32k–R52k	R52k+
CT	R25k–R32k	R32k–R52k	R52k+
Ppc specialist/manager
JHB	R30k–R40k	R40k–R50k	R50k+
CT	R30k–R40k	R40k–R50k	R50k+
Digital / media / marketing analyst
JHB	R25k–R33k	R33k–R45k	R40k+
CT	R22k–R28k	R28k–R42k	R42k+
Creative
Chief creative officer
JHB	N/A	N/A	R150k+
CT	N/A	N/A	R150k+
Group/executive creative director
JHB	N/A	R90k–R120k	R120k+
CT	N/A	R90k–R120k	R120k+
Creative director
JHB	N/A	R68k–R95k	R95k+
CT	N/A	R55k–R90k	R90k+
Head of design
JHB	R38k–R52k	R52k–R62k	R62k+
CT	R35k–R40k	R40k–R55k	R55k+
Designer
JHB	R10k–R18k	R18k–R45k	R45k+
CT	R10k–R17k	R17k–R40k	R40k+
Creative group head
JHB	R38k–R45k	R45k–R55k	R55k+
CT	R30k–R40k	R40k–R50k	R50k+
Art director
JHB	R12k–R25k	R25k–R45k	R45k–R65k
CT	R10k–R25k	R25k–R45k	R45k–R50k
Copywriter
JHB	R18k–R25k	R25k–R52k	R52k–R70k
CT	R15k–R20k	R20k–R45k	R45k–R60k
Proofreader
JHB	R15k–R20k	R20k–R30k	R30k–R47k
CT	R10k–R15k	R15k–R25k	R25k–R40k
Creative/content strategist
JHB	N/A	R23k–R38k	R38k–R50k
CT	N/A	R20k–R35k	R35k–R45k
Studio manager
JHB	R33k–R36k	R36k–R42k	R42k–R55k
CT	R28k–R35k	R35k–R40k	R40k–R50k
DTP operator
JHB	R9 500–R16k	R16k–R25k	R25k–R40k
CT	R8k–R15k	R15k–R24k	R24k–R36k
Promo director/producer
JHB	R22k–R32k	R32k–R60k	R60k–R80k+
CT	R22k–R32k	R32k–R60k	R60k–R80k+
Animator
JHB	R14k–R18k	R18k–R35k	R35k–R57k
CT	R12k–R16k	R16k–R26k	R26k–R45k
Video editor
JHB	R10k–R17k	R17k–R30k	R30k–R48k
CT	R10k–R15k	R15k–R25k	R25k–R40k
Multimedia designer/3D
JHB	R13k–R20k	R20k–R38k	R38k–R52k
CT	R13k–R16k	R16k–R30k	R30k–R45k
User experience (UX) lead
JHB	N/A	N/A	R78k+
CT	N/A	N/A	R65k+
UX designer
JHB	R18k–R27k	R27k–R48k	R48k+
CT	R15k–R20k	R20k–R40k	R40k+
User interface (UI) designer
JHB	R19k–R28k	R28k–R44k	R44k+
CT	R17k–R22k	R22k–R35k	R35k+
Motion designer
JHB	R20k–R38k	R38k–R45k	R45k+
CT	R18k–R35k	R35k–R42k	R42k+
IT/tech
Front-end developer
JHB	R25k–R35k	R35k–R60k	R60k+
CT	R25k–R35k	R35k–R60k	R60k+
Back-end developer
JHB	R18k–R30k	R30k–R65k	R65k–R110k
CT	R18k–R30k	R30k–R65k	R65k–R110k
Full-stack developer
JHB	R25k–R40k	R40k–R70k	R70k–R125k
CT	R25k–R40k	R40k–R70k	R70k–R125k
Web developer
JHB	R36k–R50k	R50k–R90k	R90k–R140k
CT	R36k–R50k	R50k–R90k	R90k–R140k
Java developer
JHB	R20k–R38k	R38k–R70k	R70k+
CT	R20k–R38k	R38k–R70k	R70k+
Scrum master
JHB	R25k–R42k	R42k–R66k	R66k–R150k
CT	R25k–R42k	R42k–R66k	R66k–R150k
IT manager
JHB	R32k–R60k	R60k–R100k	R100k+
CT	R32k–R60k	R60k–R100k	R100k+
Solutions architect
JHB	R30k–R50k	R50k–R100k	R100k+
CT	R30k–R50k	R50k–R100k	R100k+
Data engineer
JHB	R25k–R50k	R50k–R85k	R85k–R120k
CT	R25k–R50k	R50k–R85k	R85k–R120k
Data scientist
JHB	R30k–R50k	R50k–R90k	R90k–R125k
CT	R30k–R50k	R50k–R90k	R90k–R125k
Artificial intelligence (AI) & machine learning (ML) engineer
JHB	R30k–R55k	R55k–R90k	R90k+
CT	R30k–R55k	R55k–R90k	R90k+
Marketing
Head of digital marketing
JHB	R55k–R66k	R66k–R85k	R85k+
CT	R45k–R58k	R58k–R78k	R78k+
Digital marketing manager
JHB	R35k–R48k	R48k–R60k	R60k+
CT	R32k–R45k	R45k–R55k	R55k+
Group marketing head
JHB	R75k–R90k	R90k–R145k	R145k+
CT	R65k–R80k	R80k–R135k	R135k+
Marketing director
JHB	R60k–R75k	R75k–R90k	R90k+
CT	R55k–R72k	R72k–R82k	R82k+
Marketing manager
JHB	R55k–R60k	R60k–R80k	R80k+
CT	R52k–R55k	R55k–R70k	R70k+
Brand manager
JHB	R35k–R50k	R50k–R70k	R70k+
CT	R30k–R45k	R45k–R60k	R60k+
E-commerce manager
JHB	R35k–R45k	R45k–R65k	R65k+
CT	R35k–R45k	R45k–R65k	R65k+
Brand/marketing assistant
JHB	R25k–R32k	R32k–R40k	N/A
CT	R20k–R30k	R30k–R40k	N/A
Martech (marketing technology specialist)
JHB	R38k–R55k	R55k–R70k	R70k+
CT	R35k–R50k	R50k–R65k	R65k+
Corporate communications
Communications manager
JHB	R30k–R40k	R40k–R68k	R68k–R90k
CT	R25k–R42k	R42k–R47k	R47k–R75k
Communications officer/consultant
JHB	R20k–R30k	R30k–R40k	R40k–R45k
CT	R18k–R26k	R26k–R35k	R35k–R41k
PR consultancies
Managing director
JHB	R65k–R80k	R80k–R100k	R100k+
CT	R60k–R70k	R70k–R90k	R90k+
Account director
JHB	R38k–R45k	R45k–R58k	R58k+
CT	R35k–R42k	R42k–R50k	R50k +
Account manager
JHB	R28 000–R35k	R35k–R40k	R40k+
CT	R28k–R33k	R33k–R38k	R38k+
Account executive
JHB	R22k–R26k	R26k–R28 000	N/A
CT	R19k–R25k	R25k–R28k	N/A
Media
Media sales director
JHB	R40k–R50k	R50k–R70k	R70k+
CT	R38k–R48k	R48k–R65k	R65k+
Digital sales executive
JHB	R30k–R35k	R35k–R45k	R45k+
CT	R25k–R30k	R30k–R42k	R42k+
Media sales executive
JHB	R25k–R35k	R35k–R45k	R45k+
CT	R25k–R28k	R28k–R38k	R38k+
Events manager
JHB	R20k–R25k	R25k–R45k	R45k+
CT	R18k–R22k	R22k–R40k	R40k+