Takeaway app giant Just Eat has announced plans to create more than 1,500 jobs in the North East new jobs after 鈥榬e-shoring鈥 posts from overseas.
The business plans to invest 拢100m in the region over the next five years, with staff working partly from home and partly from a contact centre at Rainton Bridge, Houghton-le-Spring.
海角视频 managing director Andrew Kenny said that the company would shoulder the extra cost of bringing the staff in-house because it allowed Just Eat to provide a better service.
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Much of its customer service has been run from Bulgaria and India, but Just Eat is seeing an increase in customer satisfaction among those who dealt with the 300 people already hired at the base near Sunderland.
Recruitment is under way and a variety of positions from customer service advisors to team leadership, specialist support roles and management are available.
Employees will have access to a range of benefits at the 20,000sqft office, which is equipped with a gym, catering area and a lounge, spread across four floors. New starters will begin working from home with plans to operate a hybrid model in the coming months.
Mr Kenny said: 鈥淎s part of our ongoing investment in our 海角视频 business, we鈥檙e delighted to be creating upwards of a thousand new employment opportunities in our customer care department over the next 12 months.
鈥淎longside the launch of our worker model for couriers, this move will help us to bring the very best service to our customers and restaurant partners as demand for food delivery goes from strength to strength in the 海角视频.
鈥淎s a platform that covers 95% of 海角视频 postcodes, we also know the importance of increasing career opportunities outside of London and the South East. We鈥檙e pleased to be announcing our commitment to the North East, to help boost the region鈥檚 economy.鈥
Coun Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to have supported Just Eat to make its move to Sunderland, joining a dynamic business community and creating jobs and opportunities for people across the city.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very proud of what Sunderland offers as a place to do business, and it is vindication of that offer when brands like Just Eat are drawn to the city thanks to the work of our team and colleagues from Invest North East England and the North East LEP in attracting them.
鈥淲e鈥檙e immensely proud of our skilled people and look forward to seeing how they drive the onward success of the Just Eat business.鈥
Andrew Moffat, chair of the North East LEP Investment Board, added: 鈥淛ust Eat鈥檚 commitment to create more than 1,000 jobs in the North East and continue its investment in apprenticeships and long-term career development is great news for Sunderland, and our region.
鈥淛ust Eat is a hugely successful, multinational business, and we鈥檙e delighted to have been able to work with them alongside Invest North East England to support them to help secure the North East as the location to continue their growth journey.鈥
Business Minister Paul Scully said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to hear Just Eat are delivering for the North East鈥檚 economy by creating 1,000 new jobs, from management to customer service, which will help make the region an even better place to build a career.
鈥淭his investment drives forward our plan to level up the whole of the 海角视频, ensuring all our regions and nations thrive as we build back better from the pandemic.鈥
