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Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Malaysia in 2018

by StudyMalaysia.com on September 12, 2018 | Top Stories

Top 10 highest-paying jobs in Malaysia in 2018 - StudyMalaysia.com

To help you understand your career prospects and earning potential, we took a look at salaries across a wide range of job across different industries and sectors in Malaysia in our comprehensive Salary Guide, and ranked them according to the best-paying jobs. Read on to find out what the highest-paying jobs are.


1. Shared Services Centre Director/ General Manager

Malaysia is one of the top three preferred locations for most businesses due to its multi-lingual capabilities, relatively lower costs and strong government support. With a total of 450 Shared Services Centres (SSCs) and counting, the Malaysian SSC scene has continued to grow as investments continue to pour into this industry. It comes as no surprise then, that SSC Directors and GMs command a yearly salary of MYR 630,000 and is one of the most well-paid jobs in the country.

2. Managing Director/ General Manager (Sales)

Depending on the sector, professionals in the sales field can earn between MYR510,000 - MYR 530,000 respectively if they are in the consumer products/ FMCG sector or IT/ telecommunications sector.

3. Global Head (Procurement & Supply Chain)

The global head of procurement oversees the procurement and sourcing strategies of the company, on top of discovering profitable suppliers and negotiating external vendors, and those with over 10 years of experience earn approximately MYR440,000 on average.

4. Chief Financial Officer (CFO)/ Finance Director (Finance and Accounting)

Executive level talent is always highly sought-after, especially in the finance and accounting sector. There has been a shift away from traditional financial model towards a more proactive, agile one, giving the CFO of today a more pronounced, strategic profile with deeper integration in planning, strategy and performance management. As such, CFOs and Directors can expect to earn about MYR420,000 a year, depending on which financial sector they specialise in.

5. Marketing Director (Consumer Products and FMCG)

Marketing directors in the consumer products and FMCG sector can expect to earn in excess of MYR 390,000 on average, 7.6% more than marketing directors in the Healthcare and Life Sciences sector (MYR 360,000 per year) and 49% more than marketing directors in the professional services sector (MYR 198,000 per year).

6. Regional Head of Engineering (Corporate Real Estate)

​Heads of engineering typically manage corporate fit-outs and office building design from end to end. Given the scale of the project, they can expect to earn between MYR372,500 – MYR375,000 depending on the seniority of their role.

7. Chief Information Officer (CIO)/ IT Director (Commerce)

CIOs who are in the commerce sector can expect to earn about MYR360,000 per year. With investment pouring into Malaysia’s Digital Hub, where technology driven start-ups are given a platform to thrive in, it can be expected that IT, software engineering and digital talent will continue to be sought after.

8. Regional Head of Facilities (Corporate Real Estate)

It is expected that about 16.9 million sq ft of new office space will be completed by 2020 and absorbed by the market. With the uncertainties of elections behind, potential upgraders will start investing to move to new premises, and new office take-up will increase in tandem with a growing economy, presenting opportunities for heads in the corporate real estate sector. Professionals in this sector have the potential to earn up to MYR345,000 on average.

9. Director of Process Improvement/ Operations Excellence (Engineering and Manufacturing)

Manufacturing continues to be one of the top industries in Malaysia. Process improvement/ operations excellence professionals in this sector that have a number of years of experience under their belt remain sought after, making this one of the top-paying jobs commanding a salary of MYR330,000 per year.

10. Director/ Vice President (Operations and Logistics)

Operations and logistics continues to grow on the back of the manufacturing industry. Managers in this sector earn about MYR140,000 on average, with salaries climbing to MYR325,000 a year for professionals at the director/ VP level.

Thinking about taking the next step in your career? Our average salary benchmark tool can help you determine what you could be earning. You can also find out how your salary compares with industry averages using our salary calculator or get more tips on how to negotiate the salary you want.

Article contributed by Michael Page International (Malaysia)

Source: https://www.michaelpage.com.my/advice/market-insights/market-updates/top-10-highest-paying-jobs-malaysia-2018

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