Domestic and General create 110 city jobs

Domestic and General, one of the city's leading employers, is creating 110 new jobs at its contact centre in Queen Square, Brighton.

The company is hoping to fill all the vacancies by the end of January 2015.

Successful applicants for the full-time positions will support Domestic and General through its busiest time of year, while benefiting from long-term career development opportunities within the growing business.

There is also good news for those looking for part-time employment - with more vacancies becoming available in the New Year.

The intake will take the total number of employees at the firm's Brighton office to about 900, confirming its position as one of the biggest private-sector employers in the city.

Owen Evans, recruitment manager at Domestic and General, said: 'We are gearing up to prepare the company for the busiest time of year. We feel the job vacancies are not just positive news for us as a business, but for Brighton as a city.'

The announcement comes in the wake of Brighton and Hove being identified among the top 10% of UK locations when it comes to creating new jobs.

Last month, the Office for National Statistics business register and employment survey ranked Brighton and Hove 38th out of 380 local authority areas for employment growth. Employment increased by 8.1% between 2010 and 2013, rising from 116,865 to 126,329. The improvement was higher in the private sector, at 10.5%.

Insurance firms such as Domestic and General have been cited among those helping to drive growth. The company provides warranty services for UK and international clients as well as comprehensive product protection for more than 15 million customers with many of the country's leading appliance brands.

Contact centre representatives play a key role within the business delivering quality service for customers.

From registering customers' appliances to organising replacement products, Domestic and General says it is dedicated to providing its customers with a worry-free service. Therefore, the new jobs will play a vital role.

Mr Evans said: 'These are permanent positions, offering great long-term opportunities in the areas of sales and customer service. While we are looking for applications from people who can demonstrate some level of experience in customer service or sales, we do offer full training and provide every opportunity for people to succeed.'

All new starters will receive an initial seven days of intensive training - with an additional three months of on-the-job training and coaching, equipping them with the customer service, sales and telephone-based communication skills.

Mr Evans added: 'There is often a perception that contact centres are only suitable for temporary jobs. At Domestic and General, however, we pride ourselves on developing people so they have the opportunity to build a real career for themselves.'

In 2013, the company completed a 4,704-square-foot extension to its office, which now encompasses the whole of Queen Square House, overlooking Churchill Square.

A further redesign is currently under way to accommodate the new recruits and to help facilitate future plans for the business.

For more information about job opportunities at Domestic and General, visit: careers.domesticandgeneral.com. Follow @DandGjobs.