Sovereign Bank Opens New Call Center, Creating 100 Jobs

Sovereign Bank announced today that it will open a new call center in New Bedford, Mass. that will create more than 100 positions. The center will handle calls from customers of New York-based Independence Community Bank, which is in the process of being acquired by Sovereign, as well as calls from other customers within Sovereign’s service area.

The center will be located in the former Seacoast Financial Services headquarters building which Sovereign took ownership of when it acquired Seacoast in 2004.

“Sovereign Bank is making a commitment to the people of New Bedford that should give every citizen the confidence that we can compete in the worldwide market for quality employment and careers,” said Mayor Scott W. Lang. “I sincerely appreciate Sovereign’s investment in our community and I look forward to working closely with them to bring more employment opportunities to our city.”

Minnie Saleh, Sovereign Bank’s regional president for Bristol County, said, “We recognize the challenges our city faces and are extremely pleased to bring this opportunity to New Bedford. The creation of these jobs reflects our continued commitment to our community and our appreciation for the support we have received over the years.”

The new facility is scheduled to open in June. Hiring for the center will begin this month and continue through the summer months. The call center will provide service to customers from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days per week.

“We’re committed to employing local talent to provide high-quality customer service at Sovereign,” said James White, Director of Sovereign Bank’s consumer call center operations. “As we grow the call center will serve as another key touch point in building our relationship with customers and better serving their needs.”

Sovereign will hold a two-day job fair for anyone interested in applying for a job at the new call center. The job fair will be held April 11 and 12 at Sovereign’s New Bedford headquarters at 1 Sovereign Way.