AZ Big Media: Deloitte will bring 2,500 jobs to Gilbert
June 8, 2018AZ Big Media | Jesse A. Millard
New York-based Deloitte announced plans to open a U.S. Delivery Center in Gilbert after the town council voted to approve the first phase of a development agreement Thursday evening.
Deloitte’s U.S. Delivery Center will bring 2,500 jobs to the southeast valley town near Gilbert Road and the Loop 202.
“Gilbert is the perfect home for Deloitte as there are a multitude of opportunities for synergy between the world class organization and this community,” said Gilbert Mayor Jenn Daniels. “With the creation of these high-wage, tech-focused jobs, Deloitte will be one of the largest employers in Gilbert. This will not just benefit those in Gilbert but all of the Phoenix-metro area.”
The 102,000-square-foot U.S. Delivery Center will operate as a technology operations delivery center that will help Deloitte drive its technology solutions to clients in Arizona and across the nation, says Jonas McCormick, Greater Phoenix managing principal at Deloitte Consulting.
Since 1961, Deloitte has had professional services operations in Phoenix. Deloitte has close to 400 client service professionals located in downtown Phoenix, McCormick says.
The upcoming Deloitte facility will be located within Rivulon near Gilbert Road and the Loop 202.
The 2,500 jobs will be IT driven positions that will work on the development and management of many technology solutions in the cloud, AI and more. Deloitte is already recruiting for positions for this campus, McCormick says.
The facility, “allows us at Deloitte the ability to most efficiently develop the leading-edge solutions around areas like the cloud, robotic and cognitive automation, blockchain and AI in terms of the leading-edge technologies that are in the marketplace today as disruptive technologies,” McCormick says.
McCormick shares that there were a number of factors for Deloitte picking Gilbert for this new campus location, including the labor-pool, quality of life and Deloitte’s diverse pool of clients in Arizona and the region.
“The scale and efficiency that 2,500 very innovative practitioners provides is incredible, and so we want to harness the power and capabilities of that center and certainly we’re in the process of doing that to serve our clients today,” he says.
Deloitte is excited to take part in the growing technology eco-system that has been evolving in the southeast Valley in recent years, McCormick says. Deloitte will also be able to operate in Gilbert free of business interruptions like natural disasters.
The development agreement Gilbert passed with Deloitte is the first part of what could turn into three phases, says Gilbert’s Economic Development Director Henderson.
He says Deloitte will start out by receiving $1,400 a job for 1,500 initial qualifying jobs Deloitte creates. Deloitte will also occupy 100,000 square feet as part of this first phase.
By the end of the third phase, Deloitte will employ 2,500 people who make an average annual wage of $95,000, Henderson says. And by the end of that phase, Deloitte will occupy 200,000 square feet, he says.
Deloitte will also be spending $50 million in capital investments into the region by the end of these phases. Henderson says Deloitte will be in its permanent space within Rivulon by December.
“As Arizona continues to attract new technology jobs, we’re looking forward to adding Deloitte’s U.S. Delivery Center to that list,” says Gov. Doug Ducey. “Deloitte’s growth here in the state is welcome news and we’re thankful for their continued investment in Arizona.”
The Arizona Commerce Authority offered Deloitte an Arizona Competes Fund grant for $2,500,000. This grant is performance-based and paid in increments once milestones are met.
Deloitte has also applied for $947,993 in “eligible expenses” through the Job Training Grand program. The application is still pending approval, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority.
“Arizona has become a hub for technology and innovation” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “The large number of jobs created by Deloitte for this expansion shows confidence not only in the environment that fosters growth in the tech sector, but also the skilled and talented workforce Arizona can provide.”