Insurance giant Aviva has reinforced its commitment to Perth by announcing it is bringing 150 new jobs to the city.
The customer adviser and claims handling roles will bring the workforce at the firm’s Pitheavlis headquarters up to 1,100.
News of the jobs boost has been welcomed by city leaders and by Perth and North Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart, who said Aviva was an important employer for the area.
The firm said the jobs would be a mix of full and part-time roles and would focus on home and travel insurance.
Though an increase in staff numbers at the Perth base had been anticipated, the scale came as a welcome surprise.
Aviva is already one of the biggest private sector employers in the city.
David Skinn, distribution director with Aviva in Perth, said: “This recruitment drive reinforces the importance of Perth as one of Aviva’s strategic UK locations.
“These are key front-line roles which are very much at the heart of what we do – helping our customers when they need us the most.
“Aviva has a great heritage here in Perth and we’re really pleased to be able to build on that with these roles.”
The jobs are in part thanks to a restructuring by Aviva, which has released strong financial figures in recent years.
In July, it announced the restructuring of its business base was to continue with the centralisation of all its UK property claims at Pitheavlis.
The good news for the Fair City came at a cost elsewhere as 120 jobs will go when the firm’s offices in Southend close next year.
Perth and Kinross Council leader Ian Campbell said the arrival of 150 new jobs in Perth was “extremely welcome”.
“It is an affirmation of Aviva’s faith in Perth and that is tremendous,” he said.
Mr Wishart said the Aviva announcement was welcome news for the local job market.
He said: “I met with Aviva this week and was pleased to hear of continued investment at the Pitheavlis Centre of Excellence.
“The news that 150 new customer advisers and claims handlers are to be recruited here is very welcome.
“Aviva are an important employer in Perth and I hope there will be great interest in these new roles.”
In March, Aviva announced a 12% rise in operating profit to £3 billion for 2016 and promised even better was to come.
