Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) is slashing the troops. Reuters reports that it is cutting 450 jobs within UK management, but plans to recruit a similar number of new hires in data retail and other sales roles. The mobile operator, the world’s largest by revenue, said the move would allow it to help boost data sales—including texts, photos and music—which has been a growth area for it in Europe. It will hire 330 “retail advisers” to staff its stores to push its data products, as well as another 130 for other sales and service jobs. It will also add staff to its online sales and customer services, with 30 new hires. Vodafone has been pushing hard in mobile data, which it singled out in its third quarter earnings ending December 2007 as having boosted revenues. In Europe, data revenue in the third quarter was up 35.5 percent. Earlier today, the operator announced its tie-up with Warner to give its subscribers a week’s exclusice advance access to Madonna’s new album “Hard Candy.” Most of the redundancies—which represents a 20 percent cull of senior management--will affect its Newbury head office.

• Vodafone To Launch Madonna’s New Album One Week Early
• Vodafone Interim Results Boosted By Emerging Markets And Mobile Data