Ernst & Young to hire additional 300 people across island of Ireland in next 12 months
Brings total number of new positions announced by firm in last year to 600Ernst & Young is hiring over 300 employees on an all island basis over the next 12 months, in response to growing client demand for the firm’s existing and newly launched business consultancy and accountancy services. Recruitment will take place across Ernst & Young’s offices in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Belfast.
As part of today’s announcement, the firm has also confirmed the launch of three new dedicated business units covering Healthcare, Transport, Cleantech sectors - with specialist recruitment taking place across all three new sector units as well as further recruitment to enhance the firm’s Aviation sector team.
Welcoming the announcement, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton T.D. said: “Government does not create jobs, but we have a key role to play in creating the environment in which job-creating businesses can establish and expand. Today’s announcement that Ernst and Young has decided to create an extra 300 jobs in the next 12 months is a further sign that we may be seeing a fragile recovery in business activity in Ireland.
“It is particularly encouraging that the firm sees potential in cleantech, a key sector that the Government has targeted for jobs growth; life sciences and healthcare is another area where the Government is exploring further employment opportunities. I am determined to keep working hard to build on these tentative signs of recovery and get growth and jobs back in the economy again”.
The number of jobs announced today brings to 600 the total number of new positions created by the firm in less than 12 months. Ernst & Young announced in November 2010, plans to fulfil 300 positions over 18 months; however this number has been fulfilled more than six months ahead of schedule and a further 300 are now required to meet rising client demand.
The hiring of the additional 300 employees will take place across a spectrum of roles ranging from graduates, to qualified accountants and senior executives into the firms Assurance, Tax, Advisory and Transaction Advisory Services practices. In addition, a direct entry Partner position has also been created to support growth in the firm’s Assurance practice.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Mike McKerr, Managing Partner, Ireland, at Ernst & Young, confirmed, “I am delighted to be in a position to offer these additional 300 jobs which comes just ten months following a similar investment made by the firm. The latest recruitment drive will increase Ernst & Young’s workforce in Ireland by over a third.
He continues: “We expect to substantially increase our revenues from key rapid-growth sectors within the next three to five years. To support this ambition, we are recruiting professionals at all levels, from graduates to partner, with the type of sector specific experience which will allow us to provide clients with the insight and advice they need grow their own businesses”.
Investing in the next generation
150 of the new roles will be graduate positions available for a 2012 start across Ernst & Young’s offices in the Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Belfast. The firm actively encourages applicants from graduates with a range of disciplines from engineering to IT, legal, business, accounting and finance.
McKerr comments: “While Ernst & Young continues to hire a large number of graduate employees, our focus remains on recruiting top talent who will help drive our growth now and protect that growth into the future. In return, we offer graduates the opportunity to work directly with some of the largest organisations in Ireland and internationally”.
Transactions team investment
Ernst & Young plans to recruit roles ranging from Executive to Associate Director level into its Transactions practice in the next 12 months. This recruitment comes on the back of growing demand from new and existing clients for large-scale transaction planning support including corporate restructuring, transaction support, valuations, business modelling and corporate finance.
Assurance team investment
Roles in Assurance will range from Assistant to Senior Management working with existing and new clients in Ireland and internationally, to provide a range of Assurance services including audit, fraud investigation and a number of senior roles in the firm’s Financial Accounting Auditing Service.
Firm’s EMEIA integration helping to drive local business
In 2008, Ernst & Young announced the integration of all its 87 Europe, Middle East, India and Africa country practices, including Ireland, into a single operating unit comprising of 3,500 partners, 60,000 employees operating as a single EMEIA unit led by a single executive team. Ernst & Young is currently the only member of the so-called ‘Big 4’ to have accomplished this level of integration.
McKerr comments “This integration has allowed the Irish practice to service the needs of Ernst & Young’s domestically based and international clients as well as allowing the Irish business to capitalise on continued growth in emerging markets. “
“The Irish business is vitally important and makes a significant contribution to the development of our global business. I’m looking forward to welcoming some outstanding individuals to the firm, who I expect will add fresh thinking and energy as we continue to gain market share in Ireland and capitalise on global opportunities.”
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Notes to editor
Cleantech division
As part of today’s jobs announcement, Ernst & Young has launched a new dedicated clean-tech division. The investment in Ireland follows the recent launch of the firm’s Global Cleantech Centre of Excellence which has now established cleantech teams in over 40 countries including Ireland. Led by a newly recruited senior Director specialising in Cleantech, the Ernst & Young Cleantech service will help facilitate Ireland's energy transformation, advising and supporting both the private and public sectors and bring cleantech-related services to new and existing clients in Ireland.
Healthcare division
Ernst & Young has launched its healthcare advisory practise in Ireland. Led by a newly recruited senior Director specialising in Healthcare, the team will be responsible for leading and developing Ernst & Young’s health business across the island of Ireland, providing advisory services yet to be offered to the local healthcare sector including: Cost reduction and performance optimisation in hospitals, Policy and health systems reform, Fraud identification and reduction within the healthcare environment and use of IT in transforming healthcare and driving efficiencies across the system
Transport division Ernst & Young has today launched is transport business consultancy service. Led by a newly appointed senior Director specialising in Transport, this service will sit within Ernst & Young’s global Transportation network which comprises of a worldwide team of professionals working with clients operating within public and private transport. Services offered will include transport policy design and implementation, transport cost reduction and transport IT infrastructure design.
Aviation division Ernst and Young are unique in being the only one of the Big 4 to have invested in a formal Global Aviation Sector group to address technical issues, coordinate knowledge sharing and leverage their vast industry experience for the benefit of their clients. In addition, Ernst & Young’s Dublin practice offers a specialised team of professionals who work with both domestic clients and global clients operating in the global aviation sector. As part of today’s jobs announcement, the existing team in Ireland will now be enhanced by the appointment of a senior Director with extensive Aviation Tax experience.
