Optus has slashed 290 jobs as part of an organisational restructure it announced last month. The cuts will be made progressively over the next few weeks.
The most affected roles will be from the marketing, IT, networks and sales department in the Sydney office.
The telco service provider has been shrinking its employee base, letting go 180 staff in July 2011, making 750 job cuts in May 2012, as well as more than 750 retrenchments from its Alphawest subsidiary and Optus Business division.
Its third quarter FY2012/13 financial results showed that Optus’ operating revenue declined six per cent to $2.28 billion, decreasing its total operating expenses by eight per cent.
Parent company, Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), announced a eight per cent decline in net profit to $S827 ($AUD646.3 million) million.
In a bid to increase its focus on fixed opportunities, Optus has appointed former vividwireless CEO and executive director, Martin Mercer, as its strategy and fixed managing director.
Mercer will lead the fixed line business and ensure the company is well-placed to play a significant role in its future business strategy.
He said the new structure underpins Optus’ commitment to developing its fixed line business and the opportunities presented by the NBN will offer growth potential.
“Fixed is at the heart of our business. We’ve been advocates for structural change for over a decade, and now, we are committed to helping Australians take advantage of the opportunities available to them. This will be enhanced with the reach and the services made possible by the NBN,” he said.
Prior to joining vividwireless, he served in a few roles within Telstra, the most recent being the executive director of consumer marketing.
In addition to renewing its focus on the fixed line business, Optus claimed it is aiming to improve brand and direct customer communication, end third party door-to-door sales to focus on branded channels, and improve efficiencies by aligning its systems and network functions.
The announcement follows Optus’ customer-centric retail transformation, which it announced last year.
