250 New Jobs Announced For Belfast

Two hundred and fifty new jobs are to be created in Belfast at a new global client service centre.

The First and Deputy First Minister have announced that 250 new jobs are to be created by Alexander Mann Solutions, a leading provider of talent acquisition and management services with an international blue-chip client base.

The company, headquartered in London currently employs over 2,000 in more than 80 countries. They have announced that they will establish a new

global client service centre in Belfast.

Announcing the new jobs, the First Minister Peter Robinson said: "I am delighted to welcome another world-class company to Northern Ireland and to announce 250 new jobs in our important business services sector.

"Northern Ireland is achieving global recognition as a premiere location to invest and I welcome Alexander Mann Solutions decision to establish its business in Belfast. One of the key reasons for our continued success in attracting investors is that we have a population that is young, educated, highly skilled and ready to work.

"Northern Ireland continues to successfully meet the needs of large international companies like Alexander Mann Solutions and these new jobs will offer a broad range of employment and training opportunities."

The deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said: "This is fantastic news that Alexander Mann Solutions will establish a new centre in Belfast generating annual salaries of £6.1million.

"The business services sector is one of our fastest growing sectors in terms of employment and has been developed largely by inward investment by many major international investors. Our support for inward investors does not stop once the initial investment is secured. The Executive will continue to work with Alexander Mann Solutions to ensure it makes best use of the wide range of support available and develop a mutually beneficial long-term partnership."

Invest Northern Ireland is supporting the new jobs with a grant of £1,000,000 and further assistance of over £600,000 including support for training, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The Department for Employment and Learning has also offered £400,000 through its Assured Skills programme.

Rosaleen Blair, an Irish-born entrepreneur and founding CEO of Alexander Mann Solutions, commented: "There is no doubting why Northern Ireland is the leading UK region for inward investment outside of London. In particular, we were attracted to Belfast’s compelling combination of a highly-educated and multi-lingual workforce, a cost competitive infrastructure and a pro-business operating environment. We are confident that the city is the best strategic destination for the next stage of our global development, and we are delighted to be working with Invest NI to generate high value jobs that boost the local economy."

(MH/CD)