The company says it will create the new jobs over the coming months and years, with around 225 roles currently available. The employment boost comes as construction work was completed on Three Snowhill, which will serve as BT’s regional hub site for the Midlands. The state-of-the-art new office, built over 17 floors, houses the latest technology and modern facilities that allow colleagues to perform at their best.

BT colleagues have been taking part in induction sessions as part of a phased return to the office over the next few weeks following the end of Covid-19 restrictions. In addition to recent new hires and colleagues moving in from other locations, there are currently 225 vacant roles available in areas such as digital, data, analytics, sales and HR. The new office will eventually accommodate around 3,500 colleagues from across BT Group, including digital network business Openreach.

Philip Jansen, chief executive, BT Group, said: “This is our first major regional hub site to open outside London and is a marker of how BT is transforming to meet the needs of our colleagues and our customers.

“It’s also a statement that we’re serious about the ‘levelling up’ agenda. While our head office remains in London, we are committed to creating more opportunities and basing key operations in other areas of the UK too. A number of our senior leaders are now based here in Birmingham, as well as colleagues from across the business in a wide variety of roles, including exciting new technology research and digital product development functions.

“Three Snowhill epitomises what we are trying to achieve through our new workspaces, and we continue to work towards that vision of providing future-fit, inspiring offices where people can collaborate, innovate and ultimately deliver the best for our customers and the best for our business.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “It really is fantastic to see BT complete their switch to a new flagship office at Three Snowhill with the first of their colleagues moving in.

“Not only is it a huge sign of confidence in the West Midlands that a company of BT’s size and stature is investing in and committing to our region, but it is also brilliant news for people’s livelihoods with around one thousand new jobs to be created. 

“I look forward to working with BT to ensure these roles are filled by local people as part of my 100,000 jobs plan.”

The state-of-the art building will be the first of BT’s hub locations in the UK to open as part of its ‘Better Workplace Programme’ - the largest workplace improvement and consolidation scheme of its type ever undertaken in the UK. Other hubs that will open in the future include Manchester, Bristol and the new London HQ. BT will reduce its footprint from over 300 locations to around 30.

BT’s ambition is to increase efficiency and productivity, improving its ability to do the best for its customers. The Better Workplace Programme will deliver a combination of moves like this, into new offices, as well as the refurbishment of some existing BT buildings.

Elaine Bergin, BT director for colleague experience, who is based at Three Snowhill, said: “This is a really exciting time for BT as we launch our new regional hub in Birmingham with some fantastic job opportunities for local people and those looking to move to the area.

“BT is a great company and Three Snowhill is an incredible place to work, so I would encourage anyone who may be interested to check out our careers website bt.com/careers where more information and details on how to apply can be found.”

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic seeing many staff shift to home working over the past 18 months, BT still firmly believes in the future of the office.

Elaine added: “We still see our shared workplaces as central to BT’s future. They will be places where colleagues come together to connect, collaborate, learn and develop, build friendships and share their experiences.

“We recognise that colleagues need the opportunity to work flexibly, and we can enable that through hybrid working. However, particularly for younger individuals and those joining BT for the first time, the opportunity to learn those soft skills and form positive relationships by working together in the office is invaluable.”

BT is adopting a hybrid, flexible approach called ‘Smart Working’ where teams will choose how colleagues spend time between home and their office. Shared workplaces will continue to be central to the company’s future.

Three Snowhill boasts smart building technology, flexible workspaces and collaboration areas. There are also a range of catering options including a ground floor café open to the public, world class event spaces, and a large media screen in reception. It also has a ‘bike doctor’ to encourage more colleagues to cycle to work.

BT will ensure it complies with all the latest guidelines on Covid-19 from Public Health England to ensure people are kept safe in the office. The company will be the main occupier of the 17-storey development, marking a major investment by the company in the UK’s second city.

BT Group plays an important role in the West Midlands economy and is responsible for generating £1 in every £180 produced in the region, according to an independent report. It also generated £1.5 billion to the West Midlands economy in “Gross Value Added” GVA, during the 2019/20 financial year.* BT Group directly employs 5,470 people across the region, with a further 600 employed as contractors.

BT Sourced is a new, standalone procurement company within the BT Group, established to challenge the traditional ways of buying goods and services by simplifying processes and introducing new technology and partnership-based approaches to the way BT works with suppliers and start-ups.

Based in Dublin, which has established itself as a hub for many ‘Big Tech’ businesses as well as technology start-ups, the company will manage and influence a budget of around €14.8bn (£13bn), and draw on the capital’s diverse and tech-savvy talent pool as it builds its presence in the Republic of Ireland.

BT, which already has a significant presence in Ireland[i], is one of the leading communications service providers globally, and serves customers in 180 countries world-wide. BT Sourced aims to make the company easy to do business with for its global supplier base, drawing on technical innovations including AI-powered digital technology, combined with new, partnership-led approaches to simplify and speed up BT’s global sourcing.

The company will also lead BT’s drive towards sustainable sourcing, using its buying power to influence the company’s supply chain and boost supplier diversity. BT’s ambition is to reduce carbon emissions in its supply chain by 42% by 2030/31[ii].

The roles will be based at BT Sourced’s Grand Canal Plaza HQ, and range across a number of procurement management disciplines including IT, Networks, Connectivity and Services plus procurement analytics and transformation. The company is hiring now, and interested applicants can search available roles at https://www.bt.com/careers/careers-at-bt/procurement.

Cyril Pourrat, Chief Procurement Officer for BT Group, said: “Dublin is a vibrant city with a truly global outlook, and we’re excited to be building our innovative new procurement company at its very heart, taking advantage of the fantastic talent pool Ireland has to offer in the global sourcing arena. We’re looking for diverse, entrepreneurial and talented professionals to join our organisation and help build something from the start.

“BT Sourced will play a major role in BT’s transformation, drawing on the best technology and people to speed up and simplify the way we manage BT’s third party spend worldwide.”

Tánaiste & Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD said: “This announcement by BT Sourced will see the creation of 70 new roles in Dublin. BT, which is a world leader in the telecommunications sector, will join the growing number of innovative, multinational companies who have made Dublin their home. The company can look forward to accessing a rich pool of talent which will allow it to embed and grow its operations here. I wish BT every success with this expansion.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland said: “BT’s decision to establish its new procurement company BT Sourced in Dublin is a strong endorsement of the deep pool of tech talent in Ireland. This new company will play a strategically important global function for the BT Group. Ireland offers a safe and stable investment location with access to the EU market, an educated and skilled workforce and an attractive environment where people want to live and work. This investment by BT Sourced is very welcome and IDA Ireland offers its ongoing partnership to the team as it builds this key function from Dublin.”

[i] BT Ireland is one of the leading communications companies in Ireland, employing more than 650 people.

[ii] Target relates to scope 3 emissions, versus 2016/17 levels.

See page 40 of the DI&S business briefing.

BT will recruit talent into the company across areas as diverse as engineering, customer service, TV production, and cyber-security to support the UK’s fast-growing digital sectors. The new recruits will also support the company’s plans to extend 4G coverage and build the latest 5G networks around the UK.

Over a fifth of this year’s recruits will be based at BT’s world-renowned labs at Adastral Park, near Ipswich, in Suffolk. The research centre plays a leading role in the development of mobile technologies, artificial intelligence and ultrafast broadband.

These figures are in addition to Openreach’s recent drive to bring in 3,000 engineers to support their fibre broadband ambitions. BT and Openreach are currently delivering a wide range of apprenticeships to over 6,000 learners.

Many of the apprentices will achieve foundation and full degrees as part of their work at BT, while graduate recruits will also have the opportunity to secure fully funded qualifications. The scheme is delivered in partnership with local colleges, training partners and universities to ensure that apprentices and graduates receive the best education in their area of focus, as well as hands-on experience and training.

Alison Wilcox, HR Director, BT Group said: “We’re proud to be a leading employer of apprentices and graduates in the UK, investing in training thousands of people to give them the digital skills they’ll need to prosper. Through our apprenticeship and graduate programmes, we are able to attract people from all walks of life, allowing us to bring in new perspectives and develop a highly skilled, committed workforce. I look forward to welcoming the new recruits who are joining BT at such an exciting time.”

BT Group is one of the UK’s largest employers with 82,800 people based in the UK. The new roles, which include those within EE and Plusnet, are spread across a number of locations including London, Glasgow, Belfast, Warrington, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

BT has developed and offered apprenticeships for more than 60 years and has a commitment to helping individuals meet the demands for innovation and digital skills in the UK. BT’s Work Ready programme was launched in 2014 specifically for NEETS (Not in Education, Employment or Training). To date, more than 6,500 people from around the UK have participated and more than half have gone on to either gain employment or return to education.