Portman staff get jobs lifeline
People losing their jobs with the closure of the Portman landmark office in Wolverhampton were thrown a lifeline today by the Black Country's biggest building society.
The Portman Building Society, which is being swallowed up by Nationwide, is to close its office on the city ring road, making all 250 staff redundant.
But today they were urged to apply for nearly 100 jobs up for grabs at the West Bromwich Building Society. Stephen Karle, chief executive of the West Brom, said: "We were all greatly saddened by the loss of the Staffordshire (which was taken over by Portman).
"But we were not unduly surprised to learn the present operation in Wolverhampton would come to a close. It seemed just a matter of time.
"However, the West Brom is a mutual building society which cares passionately for the wellbeing of all the people in our local community, which is why we are determined to help.
"I can announce that, thanks to the substantial and rapid growth of our business, we will be in a strong position to offer help to those people who will be affected by the closure of the Portman's Wolverhampton administrative office.
"Through the E&S, I would ask them to contact us directly with a view to filling the job opportunities available at the West Brom."
Jobs available include key management positions and stretch across the West Brom's field of operations including contact centre and customer service, credit scoring analyst, commercial lending, property services, credit management, residential lending and direct mortgage lending.
The Bournemouth-based Portman has blamed the expense of renovating the 30-year-old Wolverhampton office for its closure, claiming it would cost £8 million to refurbish.
Originally called Jubilee House after its opening in the Queen's Silver Jubilee year of 1977, it was the headquarters of the Staffordshire Building Society, but after its merger with Portman it became a regional administration office for the Portman Direct operation.
Robert Sharpe, chief executive of the Portman, said the decision to close the office was a sad one.
*For further information about the West Brom job vacancies, call the helpline on 0870 220 7909/7878.
