A North East tech firm has increased headcount by more than 50% since the start of the year after winning a number of projects during lockdown.
Opencast Software, which is based at Hoults Yard in Newcastle, has increased its team to 120 thanks to new recruits in its User Centred Design (UCD) service for projects with the Government, health and social care organisations, and global financial corporations.
The company - whose clients include JP Morgan Chase and Co, Sage, and the NHS Business Services Authority - has been working on Covid and Brexit-related projects for a number of Government departments thanks to its expertise in Agile software development.
The company is aiming to triple its current workforce by 2025, though it has vowed to retain its headquarters in Newcastle.
Managing director Carl Shovlin said: “The number and range of clients continues to grow and we’ve had our four busiest months since the Spring, despite the Covid crisis.
“In response to an increase in work we’ve recruited software developers, DevOps engineers, testers and business analysts – and six additional members of our growing UCD team. Roles within that team include user researchers; user experience designers and content designers.”
Opencast CEO Mike O’Brien and chairman Charlie Hoult founded the comapny in 2012 after meeting at the gates of their children’s school.
The company expanded its senior leadership team earlier this year in preparation for a period of growth. Earlier this year it reported profits had risen by nearly 20% while revenues had increased to £6m.
Mr Shovlin added: “We have clients in London and Edinburgh and we’ll be further expanding our footprint in Scotland, but our HQ will remain at Hoults Yard in Newcastle where we’ve been since launching in 2012.
“It’s satisfying to know that we’re providing critical solutions and services to major organisations from our Byker base, bringing all of this work to the region. We’re not the biggest in terms of size, but we continue to win contracts with these huge global corporations, Government departments and organisations.”
