A general director in the industry and services sectors is the best paid in Portugal with a salary of €130,000, according to rankings from the Manpower Group and shared by ECO.

Among the ten professions with the most attractive salaries, there are also several positions linked to technology, at a time when cybersecurity and artificial intelligence have gained increasing attention. Among technical professions, the salaries of international heavy truck drivers stand out.

Last year, for example, with a salary of up to 120 thousand euros, it was the position of general director in the engineering and industry area that reached the top of that table. This year, the “gold medal” goes to the position of general director in the industry and services sectors, whose salary varies between 110 thousand euros and 130 thousand euros per year.

Pedro Amorim, corporate sales director at Manpower Group, explains that this increase in the salary of the most valued profession is explained by inflation, but also by the shortage of highly qualified professionals, which has led to salaries rising.

The second place on the podium is occupied by another position in industry: with a salary between 90 thousand euros and 130 thousand euros, the position of industrial director is the second most valued, in terms of salary, in Portugal.

It is important to explain that the industrial director is, in the words of Pedro Amorim, “crucial in the management of a production plant“, as they supervise all operations, in order to ensure quality and efficiency.

Completing the podium of the highest-paid professions is a purchasing director, with a salary ranging from 80 thousand euros per year to 120 thousand euros per year.

These professionals are responsible for planning and controlling the organisation's acquisitions of machinery, equipment and materials.