Mobile giant Vodafone is bringing 200 new jobs to Dublin as part of a €60m IDA-supported investment in Carrickmines.
The 200 jobs in Dublin are part of an inside sales initiative called Red Edge focused on Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands.
Vodafone hopes to take on more countries, which suggests the number of jobs being created could increase in the years ahead.
Recruitment for the new jobs is already underway and new hires will be trained in the latest sales and business analytics technologies.
Vodafone Ireland CEO Anne O’Leary said that the selection of Ireland for the Vodafone Group project demonstrates Ireland’s standing in Europe in terms of its track record with Vodafone as well as the availability of highly-skilled graduates for emerging and developing roles.
The centre was originally piloted a year ago, leading to Vodafone deciding to embark on a €60m investment for which Vodafone locations around Europe competed aggressively to win.
The investment comes hot on the heels of Vodafone and EMC jointly investing €2m in a new INFINITE internet of things (IoT) industrial testbed in Cork.
Selling in the 21st century
Pictured: Minister for Communications, Alex White, TD; An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD; Anne O’Leary CEO of Vodafone Ireland; and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, TD at the launch of Vodafone Ireland’s new European sales centre. Picture credit: Naoise Culhane
Vodafone enterprise director Anne Sheehan told Siliconrepublic.com that, as well as the latest data analytical tools, the hires will use the latest customer insight tools and LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator technology for social selling. She added that new hires will have an opportunity to train through Vodafone’s internal sales academy, which could set them up for exciting careers within the broader Vodafone business globally.
“Over 70pc of SMEs will research online, so it’s about reaching a self-informed market using social media signals and analytical tools and then selling tailored solutions.”
Sheehan said that the Carrickmines operation is already operational and the first phase will involve inside sales aimed at Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands.
“Recruitment has already started and we want to fill the 200 roles as quickly as possible. This is quite a sizeable mission for Ireland to win and we will look to other missions and grow the operation.”
As part of the plan, Carrickmines will be the principal European location for Vodafone’s inside sales strategy, while two additional hubs in central and southern Europe will also be created.
The expansion will grow Vodafone’s headcount in Ireland to 2,000 people.
Vodafone building image via Shutterstock
