By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com
JPMorgan Chase has opened its second virtual call center in Baltimore. In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED), the firm hired 40 Baltimore residents as customer service specialists who will help Chase Bank customers over the phone with managing their financial accounts.
The announcement builds on JPMorgan Chase’s $20-million, five-year commitment to support underserved communities in the city.
“In choosing the city of Baltimore for this expansion, JPMorgan Chase has recognized how much our residents and our city have to offer,” said Mayor Brandon Scott in a press release. “Through this partnership, our residents, particularly those in historically underserved and disinvested in neighborhoods, will now have yet another avenue to secure good jobs and help grow the renaissance that we’re building here in Baltimore.”
The new Baltimore customer service specialists will be paid no less than $22.50 an hour. They will also receive an annual benefits package, which includes healthcare, worth nearly $16,000. JPMorgan Chase will also provide access to career advancement opportunities, financial wellness and tuition assistance.
The positions are full-time and home-based. However, the team will meet regularly at the Parks and People Foundation and the JPMorgan Chase Mondawmin Community Center for training.
JPMorgan Chase has hired 40 Baltimore residents as customer service specialists to assist its Chase Bank patrons. (Image by Freepik)
“Socialization and collaboration are important parts of developing professional skills, building a personal brand, and maintaining our Chase culture,” said Jordan King, lead for the virtual call center. “Spending time together as a team and connecting with colleagues contributes to an environment where employees can grow and thrive.”
The first JPMorgan Chase virtual call center opened in Detroit in early October. Since launching, it’s hired more than 90 residents. The virtual call centers were devised as a way for the financial institution to expand customer service career opportunities to communities where talent exists but a brick-and-mortar call center does not.
JPMorgan Chase intends to continue growing the Baltimore team in the future.
“These are entry-level roles in the largest bank in the U.S., and they’re crucial roles. These colleagues help make dreams possible by supporting our customers when they need us the most, and we want to help employees realize their own dreams,” said King.
“Through constant development and hard work, I’ve traveled across the country, held over a dozen roles, worked with amazing people, and supported my family, all because of a career that I never thought possible. There are stories like mine across the bank, and this opportunity to create new success stories in Baltimore is the realization of my life’s work both as a leader and as a person.”
Megan Sayles is a Report For America corps member.
