bet365 to Create 100 New Jobs in Manchester Expansion
bet365 announced that they will expand their Manchester base, adding 100 new jobs in the Northwest for developers.
After opening its Manchester office in 2016, the online gambling giant bet365 will increase the size of their tech office at Spring Gardens by 50%. This will take the total number of employees within the team to 300.
Warren Hughes, bet365 ©Manchester Evening News
The company, which is one of the largest online betting companies in the world, has its base in the Zenith building, right at the heart of the traditional business district in Manchester: Spring Gardens. They recently purchased the entire building, for 31.5m. This gives the company lots of potential for future expansions.
Speaking of the competitive job market for software developers in Manchester, Warren Hughes, Head of Systems Development for bet365, described the city as the “Northern Carousel”.
Manchester is a competitive marketplace. One where developers frequently move from company to company – Warren Hughes, Head of Systems Developement, bet365
The casino appears to be putting a focus on establishing itself as a long-term employer for developers, rolling out this expansion in a bid to secure loyalty from staff in the long-term.
The new staff members are expected to be a mix of established developers and graduates from The University of Manchester. The expansion itself is part of a collaboration between bet365 and The University of Manchester. Bringing in young talent is another aspect of the company’s attempts to sure up their position in Manchester, as well as sustain excellent relations with its employees over a long period of time.
We entered Manchester with a view to starting small and strong by taking on experienced developers who could deliver quickly. As the department has matured, we feel we are ideally placed to bring junior developers and graduates into an environment where they will have strong mentorship through these earlier and important stages of their career. – Warren Hughes, Head of Systems Development, bet365
Hughes said that going forward, they will “aim to keep the bar high” as they go through this expansion, bringing in people who are “passionate about technology and delivery.”
