An award-winning tech company is injecting £40 million into the North East economy after opening a new office with plans to create 150 jobs.
Scrumconnect Consulting is moving into Portland House in the heart of Newcastle city centre, as the first phase of its wider plans to grow from 300 to 1,000 people within four years – with more than half of these new roles located in the North of England.
The company currently supports 16 of the CDDO’s (Central Digital & Data Office) top 75 government services. Its user-centred approach to designing digital services – drawing on decades’ worth of hands-on public-sector experience – has already proven to deliver results for His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), the Home Office, the Department for Education, and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
“The next few years are a great opportunity for growth in the North East as it starts the process of devolution,” says Chi Onwurah Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central.
“Newcastle’s great industrial past was my inspiration to become an engineer, and I believe digital technologies will play a significant role in the future prosperity of the region. Attracting companies like Scrumconnect Consulting to the North East is an important part of that future prosperity. By providing jobs, investment and expertise to Newcastle, they will help the city deliver on its potential to be a digital powerhouse.”
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In the North East specifically, Scrumconnect will look to build on the success of its award-winning project with the Department for Work and Pensions to digitise the Pension Credit Service, which is based in Newcastle. It has also recently been selected as one of just four SME digital partners for HM Revenue & Customs’ DALAS framework. The framework will aim to modernise the department’s IT systems and reduce legacy dependencies, with many of the projects based out of HMRC’s newly opened Newcastle office.
CEO Praveen Karadiguddi said: “Our £40 million investment and expansion into Newcastle is a strategic move that reflects our growing partnerships with government departments like HMRC in the North East. Our increasing portfolio of contracts in the region highlights the synergy between our services and the government's evolving needs.”
“The North East is on the cusp of devolution in May 2024, and has seen an injection of investment through the Levelling Up Fund. It's a prime time for forward-thinking private sector businesses like ours to step in and play a pivotal role in unlocking Newcastle's vast potential. Our commitment is not just about expanding our footprint; it'll help to foster economic growth, create jobs, and contribute to the region’s vibrant future.”
Scrumconnect Consulting has also appointed Mark Duncan as Chief Digital Officer. Mark was previously the company’s Head of Product Management and he grew up and lives in the North East. He said: “We look forward to continuing to supporting the public sector’s move away from expensive legacy systems to easy-to-use digital technology for the benefit of UK citizens.
"In the last 24 months alone, our approach has transformed more than 64 public sector services. Today, Scrumconnect Consulting is making a significant impact on the daily lives of more than 50 million UK citizens – from digitally processing court cases and every new passport application or renewal to preventing benefit fraud and managing state pension details.”
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