Foundever plans to add more than 200 jobs in Fort Smith
Miami-based Foundever plans to hire more than 200 people at its call center in Fort Smith, including bilingual customer service representatives, the company announced July 8. Foundever, formerly Sykes Enterprises, opened the Fort Smith site in 2011 in what was once part of the Phoenix Village Mall.
The company says it now employs 500 full-time workers in Fort Smith. According to Foundever, the planned new jobs are part of 649 jobs to be added at locations in Fort Smith, DeLand, Fla., and Sumter, S.C., this summer. The hiring push is through Aug. 9, according to the company.
Foundever said starting pay is $17 an hour, or around $35,000 a year, with pay for bilingual workers starting at $19 an hour, or around $40,000 a year. The full-time jobs also include medical, dental and vision coverage, a 401(k) retirement plan, employee discount programs, and paid training, the company said. The new jobs could add up to $8 million in annual payroll to the Fort Smith metro economy.
“At a time when many workers are looking for stability and long-term opportunity, Foundever is continuing to invest in people and communities across the U.S.,” the company said in a statement. “Our teams in Fort Smith, Sumter and DeLand play an important role in helping some of the world’s leading brands deliver meaningful customer experiences.”
The company said the new jobs are not temporary or seasonal.
“The positions we are currently hiring for are permanent, full time roles, not temporary or seasonal positions,” the company noted in response to questions from Talk Business & Politics. “These roles support ongoing client programs. Like many companies in the customer experience industry, staffing needs can evolve based on client business needs, but our focus is on building a stable workforce and providing opportunities for long term career growth and advancement within Foundever.”
Foundever said the jobs are “primarily inbound customer service roles” in which they answer customer questions and provide other customer support services. The company said clients served by Fort Smith employees include companies in the banking, financial services, and telecommunications sectors.
Michael Tipton, Foundever’s Fort Smith site director, said the call center is a regional “career hub.” The company plans an on-site – 4600 Towson Ave., No. 275 – job fair from 10 a.m. to noon, July 14.
“As we grow, we are committed to creating more paths for local talent to learn, advance, and succeed right here in Fort Smith,” Tipton said.
Foundever opened the Fort Smith call center in 2011. The company initially said the center would employ up to 600 when fully operational.
In December 2025, Foundever finances were downgraded by S&P Global, an independent credit rating and research firm. Foundever generated about $3.6 billion of revenue in 2024, and is the world’s third-largest provider of customer service outsourcing, according to the S&P report.
The Foundever announcement is the second recent jobs news in Fort Smith. Lockheed Martin, the Bethesda, Md.-based defense industry company that manufactures the F-35 fighter jet, said June 25 it will boost employment in Fort Smith from an initial plan of 110 workers to more than 230 within the next 12 to 18 months. According to job recruiter websites, the pay for aircraft maintenance technicians employed by civilian defense contractors ranges between $80,000 and $150,000. The average wage in Sebastian County, based on fourth quarter 2025 BLS weekly wage data, was $57,668.