Rabat – Outsized, a London-based talent-on-demand platform, recently reported an increase in market demand for payments and cards skills, digital transformation and data skills, as well as change management experts in the Middle East and North African region.
Outsized connects management and strategic consulting firms, insurance companies, Big 4, and financial institutions with skilled talent from the MENA and other regions.
Analyzing data on client demand and talent skills, the recruitment firm found that digital transformation skills are the most in-demand in the MENA, followed by payments and analytics. Agile methodologies came 4th on the list of demands, ahead of cards and payment skills and project and program management capabilities.
The rising interest in project management and digital skills is accompanied by a regional shift towards remote work.
Explaining this trend, the report noted that the COVID-19 pandemic made businesses in the MENA, Africa, and Asia realize that they can go digital without quality losses which provided more room for flexible working hours and methods. The surge in e-commerce and Buy Now Pay Later services has also increased the demand for payments and card experts, it added.
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“Prior to the onset of the pandemic, on one hand, enterprises were struggling to find the right talent to meet their needs, and on the other hand skilled talent found it difficult to find the right opportunities with blue chip clients due to a very fragmented market,” said Vikram Malhotra, Managing Director for MENA at Outsized.
However, he noted, “the MENA region is witnessing the dual benefit of local talent getting access to global opportunities and regional organizations getting access to global talent.”
The report also found that independent consulting and freelancing roles are surging in the region, with foreigners benefitting the most from such deals. According to Outsized, many organizations in Asia and Africa are opting for a model where up to 30% of employees are independent.
The freelance assignments typically last between three to twelve months with independents charging between $200 to $640 based on the number of years of experience. They also allow the freelancers to “learn more, progress faster, and earn more as independents,” according to Outsized.
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