Vodafone is set to announce 375 job cuts, including back-office positions, at its headquarters in Newbury.
As part of a £1bn cost-cutting programme, announced last year, Vodafone will reduce the number of people working for the company in areas like the back-office and middle management, the Times reported.
The mobile phone giant also cut 500 staff last year, mostly in Newbury, but also created some new jobs in its retail and internet departments. The company currently has about 3,000 staff in the Berkshire office.
Vodafone initially declined to comment on its plans, according to the newspaper.
However, a statement sent later to Personnel Today said the firm would reduce a total of 375 roles from March 2010. It said: “The roles affected are in a number of areas, across a number of locations, primarily in back office functions. There will also be additional changes as further efficiencies and natural attrition in these functions take effect.”
The company will hire 170 people in customer facing roles and will select 50 graduates to start in September from over 3,000 who have applied to its UK graduate programme.
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Matthew Brearley, HR director at Vodafone, added: “We’re committed to increasing the number of customer facing employees which will help us simplify our business.”
[Article edited 09:39 Wednesday 10 March. The article previously said Vodafone planned to reduce “up to 500 roles”.]
