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Co. Leitrim based lender Avantcard has today announced the creation of 40 new jobs at its headquarters in Carrick-on-Shannon and satellite office in Dublin. The announcement today was welcomed by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys.
The announcement of these new jobs comes on the back of an additional 58 people joining the Avantcard workforce over the last eighteen months, making Avantcard an increasingly attractive prospect for talent in the financial services sector in the North West. Avantcard currently employs 220 people across their offices in Leitrim and Dublin.
The new positions will include customer-facing roles, roles supporting the new An Post and Avantcard partnership announced in 2018 as well as a handful of specialist roles to support planned business growth.
With more people seeking a better work/life balance and with many finding themselves priced out of the housing market in Dublin and the East coast, the benefits of working, living and learning in the North West are highly valued by those seeking alternatives. The region has enjoyed a string of new high-end jobs announcements and investment over recent months and with businesses such as Avantcard prioritising the work/life balance of employees, the region offers a quality of living that our major cities are struggling to match. A lower cost of living, significantly less traffic and a slower pace of life, combined with the tech boom taking place in neighbouring Sligo, means the region is increasingly attracting more and more businesses and investment.
2018 was a momentous year for the company after it acquired the Tesco Bank Ireland credit card portfolio, along with the announcement of a new partnership with An Post which will see it offering An Post branded personal loans and credits cards through the national post office network in the coming weeks. Avantcard was also awarded both the Ibec KeepWell Mark and the ‘Great Place to Work’ accreditation in a matter of months.
Chris Paul, Avantcard’s CEO said “As a fast-growing business in Ireland, we are delighted to announce these 40 new jobs. We had an incredibly busy 2018 as the business continues to expand and we look forward to building on that in 2019 with our new team members. We were very proud to have been recognised as a ‘Great Place to Work’ and receive Ibec’s KeepWell mark in 2018, both of which highlight how committed we are to our employees and to ensuring that we have practices in place which allow them to flourish in the workplace”.
Helen Richardson, Avantcard’s Director of Human Resources, said “We are very excited to be welcoming 40 new people to the business, and for the opportunities this presents for Avantcard. We are particularly proud of being a major employer in the North West region offering a large number of high-quality jobs in the financial services space and see this as a real boost for the area. We believe we can offer a truly great opportunity for people looking to live in this area and for those who wish to have fulfilling careers in financial services. We are proud of the contribution we make to our employees’ lives.”
Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys said, “Today is a great day for Carrick-on-Shannon and the announcement is a huge vote of confidence in the local workforce. As Minister, regional development is my key priority, and Avantcard is living proof that you don’t have to be based in a big city to make a big impact. Today I am also launching a new Regional Enterprise Plan for the North-West. This Plan is rooted in collaboration, with local stakeholders from Leitrim, Sligo and Donegal working together to build on progress in the region to date and fill in any gaps. Our goal is to encourage more investments like this one and ensure that our enterprises remain resilient. I would like to warmly congratulate Chris and the team at Avantcard on this huge achievement, which serves as an example for others to follow.”
Avantcard DAC trading as Avantcard is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
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For further information, please contact:
Deirdre Smith / Sheena Sweeney
Tel: +353 (0) 1 907 9962 / (086) 467 2888
Hume Brophy (Dublin) Email: avantcard@humebrophy.com
Note to Editors
About Avantcard
Avantcard is a leading provider of credit card and personal loan products. The Company, a dedicated consumer finance business, is committed to growing its business in Ireland and to continue servicing their customers’ current and future financial needs. The Company is headquartered in Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim with a satellite office in Dublin, employing 220 staff. Avantcard DAC is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.