The First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill today announced 300 home based jobs in a multi-million pound investment by Sensée.
They were joined in making the announcement by Economy Minister Diane Dodds.
This first-time investment into Northern Ireland by the company will see the creation of 300 work from home contact centre roles. The jobs will also provide a unique opportunity for those facing barriers to work as a result of location, personal or family circumstances.
First Minister Foster said: “We are delighted today to announce 300 new jobs for Northern Ireland. Uniquely these are not limited by geography, they are accessible to everyone no matter where they live.
“The home-based work opportunities span a range of roles, including agent, manager and support levels, contributing over £5.8 million in additional salaries to our economy.
“As an Executive we are committed to strengthening our economy and commend Invest Northern Ireland for their work to secure this significant investment.”
Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said: “We are committed to working together to bring about prosperity for all our people. Creating employment opportunities is an important part of this, as is working to remove the barriers faced by many people to get into employment. This includes people with disabilities or caring responsibilities.
“These new jobs with Sensée provide a real option for people right across the north who will benefit from home working and give them an opportunity to get in to paid work and improve their quality of life.
“Invest NI has offered £900,000 of support towards the jobs, which the company intends to create by 2022 as it continues to grow its business.”
Sensée works with many well-known brands, including Bupa, Hastings Direct and Allianz, providing service and support for their customers.
Economy Minister, Diane Dodds said: “The contact centre industry is experiencing a lot of change and the home working model is gaining traction with more companies. As well as offering flexible working for staff this approach benefits the environment including reduced energy use and costs. It will also open up rural communities providing employment opportunities for those not able to travel to work. These benefits directly align with many of our Programme for Government objectives.”
Rob Smale, Sensée Director, said: “Our skilled home based service advisor team work for well-known brands on an outsourced basis, either as continuously available resources or to handle peaks in customer demand. Currently we employ about 700 staff across the UK, all of whom work from home.
“We offer the security of full employment contracts with guaranteed hours and with flexibility to choose workdays and times. There’s also no commuting, saving our people time and money, and a social element that creates great teamwork and companionship.
“Our home based advisor services are also attractive to businesses in all sectors, from healthcare to financial services and retail, with the great attitude of our homeworking team providing excellent customer service. It also reduces the carbon footprint and aligns with their corporate social responsibility aspirations.”
Sensée is looking to fill the 300 positions over the coming months. Recruitment and training are both completed on-line and candidates can apply at www.sensee.co.uk/ni-jobs