Shared Services Centre brings 50 jobs to Oldham

WELCOMING the move ... Oldham Council’s Deputy Leader Councillor Shoab Akhtar (right) and Mouchel’s Shared Services Director Peter Studd (left) at the company’s new Shared Service Centre, with Andrew Kendall, Managing Director of the Council’s Unity Partnership.

Recruitment day boost for locals

ONE of Oldham Council’s private sector partners is bringing new jobs to Oldham by relocating services to the borough.

The move by Mouchel, a consulting and business services group, to consolidate some of its own business services to the town will bring more than 50 jobs, with many being taken up by local people.

The firm’s joint venture with the council’s Unity Partnership, runs a number of the authority’s services including ICT, highways and engineering, property, and customer services such as Access Oldham in the civic building, revenues and benefits and contact centre.

Its new Shared Services Centre in the Oldham Business Centre, Cromwell Street, will provide ‘back office services’ such as finance, HR administration, payroll and procurement services to the company’s 9,000 employees nationwide.

Previously, Mouchel’s services were split across a number of sites and the company says the consolidation will provide a better, more efficient service.

Twenty of the roles were filled following a successful recruitment day in the council’s offices open to local residents, Oldham Council and Unity Partnership staff.

Councillor Shoab Akhtar, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member with Portfolio for Partnerships and Commissioning, said: “Mouchel is proving to be an essential partner for the council during a period of tough financial challenges. This move is good news for Oldham, bringing extra jobs, skills and revenue to the town.”

Peter Studd, Shared Services Director for Mouchel, said: “Our new Shared Service Centre will enable us to offer more effective business services like payroll, finance and HR not only to our business but in future also to other public and private-sector organisations.”

Andrew Kendall, Managing Director of Unity Partnership said: “We are committed to improving work opportunities for local people and it’s great that Mouchel are able to support this objective”