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Career

Most in Demand Jobs in Dubai

Most Demanding Job Opportunities in Dubai

Dubai is the center of attraction for the entire world, and the city is growing like never before. The growth also creates new job opportunities. Many companies across UAE are actively recruiting and looking for candidates with specialized skills.

According to a recent study published by Michael Page (global recruitment specialist), the highest paying jobs will come from the banking and financial sectors. Tech and digital are other fields that may witness a surge in the coming few years. According to the senior professionals at Michael Page, AI, machine learning, robotics process automation, Python developers, and Cloud architects/engineers will be the most in-demand jobs in the IT sector. With the rise in tech startups in UAE, where Dubai is the startup hub, there will be a high influx of technical jobs.

Here is the sector-wise breakdown of the most expected in-demand jobs in Dubai.

Banking and Financial Services

Positions in Demand

  • Investment Associate
  • Finance Manager – Investments
  • Institutional Sales – Director, Associate
  • Compliance Manager
  • Corporate Development / Investments – Manager / Director
  • Fund Finance Manager

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Financial Modelling
  • Financial Control & Commercial Finance
  • Institutional Sales/Fund Raising
  • Compliance

Recruitment managers in the banking and financial sectors are eagerly looking for personnel with various specialized skillsets with local market experience.

Consultancy Strategy and Change

Positions in Demand

  • Corporate Strategy & Planning Professionals
  • Business Project & Transformation Professionals
  • Strategic Partnership/JV/BD Professionals
  • External Consulting in Public Sector and IT

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Corporate and Business Unit Strategy
  • Project Management/Implementation
  • Growth Strategy

Even in challenging markets, candidates from more sophisticated markets with the skills and experience will remain in high demand. The right candidate will have a variety of options to choose from.

Data and Analytics

Positions in Demand

  • Data Engineering Professionals
  • Industry-Specific Analytics Professionals
  • Senior Leadership Across Data Analytics & Science
  • Predictive Analytics Focused Professionals
  • Statisticians

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Senior Leadership Roles across all Data Categories

Most organizations in the UAE are adopting data-driven decision-making via analytics & insights. For the past few years, organizations have realized the importance of investing in Data Engineering talent. The right talent can help build the right infrastructure to collect, manage, and convert raw data into usable information.

Digital

Positions in Demand

  • User Experience Design
  • Growth-focused Digital Marketing
  • Product Development
  • Digital Transformation Project Management
  • E-commerce Leadership

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • User Experience
  • Data-driven Marketing

The appetite for digital talent has increased exponentially on a global scale. During the last few years, most organizations have realized the importance of digital marketing and prefer to hire locally-based candidates.

Engineering and Manufacturing

Positions in Demand

  • COO
  • General Manager
  • Plant Manager
  • Business Excellence Manager
  • R&D Manager

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Lean Manufacturing
  • Leadership
  • Customer-Centric Design

Like other industries, the manufacturing industry is also forced to reconsider several aspects of hiring and retaining talents during the last few years. Companies are now trying their best to utilize their assets by increasing the efficiency of their production processes and digitization. They are building up customer centricity approach through new product development and innovation.

Finance and Accounting

Positions in Demand

  • Regional Head of Finance/Finance Director
  • Tax Managers (Direct & indirect)
  • Credit Manager/Controller
  • Internal Audit/Risk Manager
  • FP&A Manager/Senior Analyst

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Finance Transformation
  • Taxation-Direct, Indirect, Transfer Pricing
  • Treasury Restructuring-Cash & Credit
  • Compliance-Risk and Internal Control

Businesses are merging multiple roles with specific skill sets. Companies are struggling to find candidates with the right skill set. Even though there is an oversupply of candidates, most lack the required skills and demands. If you have hands-on experience and eagerness to update yourself, you can expect to land a good job.

Healthcare and Life Sciences

Positions in Demand

  • Nurse
  • Laboratory Technicians
  • Doctor/Physicians
  • Marketing Manager and Sales Managers in Life Sciences

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Licensed Professional
  • Become Licensed in UAE Quickly
  • For Life Science-Regional Sales, Project Management, and Market Access

Dubai’s aim to be a health tourism capital in the Middle East has fueled the demand for healthcare professionals. Thus, healthcare institutions will continue to hire more nurses, lab technicians, doctors, and other specialized healthcare professionals.

The hiring will be in large volumes, especially licensed professionals within the UAE or professionals who can quickly become certified in the UAE.

Human Resources

Positions in Demand

  • Talent Acquisition & Recruitment Manager/Specialists
  • Regional HR Manager (ideally with exposure to Saudi Arabia)
  • Talent & Performance Management Specialist

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Talent Acquisition
  • Employment Engagement & Wellbeing
  • HR for Startups
  • Emirati Nationals

Talented HR professionals will always remain in demand. However, the focus has now shifted. The candidates’ experience in formulating and implementing strategies around employee engagement, welfare, and workplace culture will be preferred. Professionals from the HR field need to focus on developing their CVs on quantifiable & qualitative achievements related to mentioned skills.

Oil and Gas

Positions in Demand

  • Operations Manager
  • Project Manager
  • Commissioning/Decommissioning Manager
  • Design Manager
  • Estimating/Cost Manager

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Diversified skills and experience
  • Sustainability

Fluctuation in oil prices and the growing urgency to move away from fossil fuels have forced the oil industry to recognize the need for innovation and digital transformation. Thus, the industry will aim to recruit talent with diversified skills and experience to increase efficiency and build sustainability.

Procurement and Supply Chain

Positions in Demand

  • Technology Procurement Manager
  • 3PL/Transport Manager
  • Customer Service Project Manager
  • Customer Service & Logistics Specialist
  • Procure to Pay Manager

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Sales and Influencing
  • Data-centricity
  • Network & Route Design

Data is going to be the heart of the operation. Thus, the industry is looking to hire proactive candidates with data-centric backgrounds.

Property and Construction

Positions in Demand

  • Project Director
  • Project Manager
  • Real Estate Asset Management
  • Leasing
  • Facilities Management

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Cost Control/Commercial
  • Real Estate Asset Management
  • Project Delivery

Several professionals have moved to the UAE because of better salaries, additional benefits, and opportunities in large-scale project pipelines. Still, the UAE real estate and construction businesses are short of skilled talent.

Retail

Positions in Demand

  • Trainers
  • Store Managers
  • Marketers (with e-commerce experience)
  • Buyers for Online Channels
  • Contract Sales Staff

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Developing Online Capabilities
  • Store Experience
  • Training & Development

During the last two years, the retail business has witnessed higher levels of innovation compared to other industries. Due to the considerable shift in buying patterns, consumer mindset, and emotional affiliations toward brands, the trend is expected to continue.

A lot of the local and multinational players are expected to continue to build tools to support the transition to online sales. However, a physical presence still remains extremely relevant in the Middle East. Multiple online brands are opening physical stores in the region.

Sales and Marketing Consumer

Positions in Demand

  • Marketing Manager
  • Commercial Director
  • BD Managers/Regional Sales Manager

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Pioneers and Entrepreneurial Thinking
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Growth Marketing
  • Flexibility and Adaptability
  • Distribution Efficiencies

The businesses are looking to hire candidates demonstrating ‘out-of-the-box and strategic thinking. Professionals with entrepreneurial attitudes and creative thinking are going to be in high demand. You need to expand your skill sets and also stay informed of the cultural context.

Sales and Marketing B2B

Positions in Demand

  • Sales Director
  • Account Manager
  • Sales Team Leader
  • Business Development Manager
  • Customer Success Manager

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Social Selling
  • Industry Expertise
  • Solution Selling
  • Channel/Distribution Management
  • New Market Creation

Candidates that demonstrate their potential capabilities to creatively bundle up existing products and service offerings will be preferred. Occupying new market share and increasing customer satisfaction will remain the desired skill.

Secretarial and Office Support

Positions in Demand

  • Office Manager & Executive Assistant
  • Executive Assistant (with Team Assistant responsibilities)
  • Office Administrator/Team Assistant
  • Office Manager/Executive Assistant
  • Executive Assistant (with RFP experience)

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Flexibility
  • Business EA/PA
  • Problem Solving Skills

The support staff is always expected to provide solutions to complex requests and lighten the personal responsibilities of seniors. So they can focus on core activities. Recruitment managers prefer to hire multi-talented and versatile candidates for such roles.

Technology

Positions in Demand

  • Front End Developer
  • Full-Stack Developer
  • Head of Software Engineering
  • Cloud Architect/Engineer
  • IT Project Management

Most Sought-after Skills or Experience

  • Software Development
  • Cloud
  • Technology Consulting

Some of the tech roles have recently witnessed a high turnover rate and are expected to be in the coming year. Due to the large market for tech companies, demand for candidates will only increase. The rise in tech startups in Dubai is going to increase hiring in the industry further.

Conclusion

Whether you are a fresh graduate or a senior professional, this guide can help you in upgrading your skill level. You can evaluate the suitable opportunities in your industry.  The guide can help you narrow down your selection and find a new position that aligns with your skills and expectations.