Chinese e-commerce giant JD has announced it plans to recruit up to 15,000 staff this year – just a week after saying it would let go 10 per cent of its senior executives.

The majority of positions expected to be filled this year will be in logistics, with up to 10,000 delivery and low-level management positions being recruited. Other staff will be hired to improve user experiences in the firm’s retail arm.

JD pledged in its announcement to promote competent staff and offer more leadership training to young people as part of its contribution to society. The firm currently hires around 170,000 full-timers, according to last year’s estimates, and is moving to extend its supply network throughout every one of China’s county-level territories.

Some 20,000 R&D staff were hired last year in an RMB8.64 billion (US$1.29 billion) investment in technology research.