EXHIBIT 10.1
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                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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     Employment   Agreement  made  effective  January  1,  2000,  between  SITEL
CORPORATION,   a  Minnesota  corporation   ("Company")  and  PHILLIP  A.  CLOUGH
("Executive").

         THE PARTIES AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

     1. Employment and Duties. Company hereby employs Executive as its President
and Chief Executive Officer.  The duties and responsibilities of Executive shall
include  duties  and  responsibilities  consistent  with  Executive's  corporate
offices and positions,  including  those set forth in the bylaws of Company from
time to time,  and such  other  duties and  responsibilities  which the Board of
Directors of Company from time to time may assign to Executive.

     2. Term. The term of  Executive's  employment  under this  Agreement  shall
begin as of the date hereof and continue without  interruption  through December
31, 2001,  unless sooner terminated in accordance with this Agreement and unless
extended by written agreement of both parties ("Term").

     3. Efforts on Behalf of Company and Other  Activities.  During the Term, to
the best of his  ability  and  using  all his  skills,  Executive  shall  devote
substantially  all of his working  time and efforts to the diligent and faithful
performance of his duties and  responsibilities  under this Agreement.  However,
Executive  may devote a reasonable  amount of his time to civic,  community,  or
charitable activities.

     4. Place of  Employment.  The Company's  executive  offices,  including the
office of Executive,  shall be located in Baltimore,  Maryland  during the Term.
Company shall furnish  Executive with an office,  secretarial  and other support
services  consistent with those currently provided and such other facilities and
services at such locations as may be reasonably  required to permit Executive to
fulfill the duties of his employment.

     5. Base Salary.  For all  services to be rendered by Executive  pursuant to
this  Agreement,  Company agrees to pay Executive  during the Term a base annual
salary of $500,000.  The term "Base Salary" as used in this Agreement shall mean
the base annual salary  established  by this Section 5. The Base Salary shall be
paid in periodic  installments  in accordance  with  Company's  regular  payroll
practices, but in any event no less frequently than monthly.

     6. Additional Compensation.

                 (a) Bonus.  For  each  calendar year during the Term, Executive
shall be eligible  to  participate  in the  Company's  bonus  program for senior
executives on the terms established by the Compensation  Committee for each such
year.

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                 (b) Stock Option  Plans. Executive  has previously been granted
stock  options for SITEL common  stock.  Any further  grants of stock options to
Executive shall be at the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee.

                 (c) Benefit Plans. During the Term, Executive (and his eligible
dependents  where  applicable)  shall be entitled to  participate in the benefit
plans offered from time to time by Company to its senior executive officers,  on
terms  (including  Company and  employee  contribution  percentages,  waivers of
waiting  periods,  applicable  deductibles,  etc.) no less  favorable than those
provided generally to other senior executive officers of the Company,  including
without limitation, as may be applicable, individual or group medical, hospital,
dental,  and long-term  disability  insurance  coverages,  group life  insurance
coverage, 401(k), and 401(n) plans.

                 (d) Vacations and Holidays. During the Term, Executive shall be
entitled  to paid  vacation  days,  holidays  and  time  off per  calendar  year
(pro-rated for partial calendar years of employment) as are consistent with past
practice and custom for Company's senior executive officers.

                 (e)  Expenses.  During the Term, Executive shall be entitled to
prompt reimbursement by Company of all reasonable ordinary and necessary travel,
entertainment,  and other expenses incurred by Executive (in accordance with the
policies  and  procedures  established  by  Company  for  its  senior  executive
officers)  in the  performance  of his  duties and  responsibilities  under this
Agreement;  provided that Executive shall properly  account for such expenses in
accordance with Company  policies and procedures,  which may include but are not
limited to itemized accountings.

     7. Termination of Employment.

                 (a) Death.  Executive's  employment  under this Agreement shall
terminate upon Executive's death. If Executive's  employment terminates pursuant
to this Section 7(a), Executive or his legal representative shall be entitled to
receive  the Base  Salary up through the date of  Executive's  death;  any bonus
earned by  Executive  pursuant  to  Section  6(a) for a  calendar  year  already
completed  but not yet paid;  and any  benefits to which  Executive  is entitled
pursuant to Sections 6(c) through 6(e) up through the date of Executive's death.

                 (b)  Disability.  If Executive  becomes  incapable by reason of
physical injury,  disease,  or mental illness from substantially  performing his
duties under this Agreement for a continuous  period of three months or for more
than 90 days in the  aggregate  during any 12 month  period,  then  Company  may
terminate  Executive's  employment  under this Agreement  effective upon 30 days
written notice. If Executive's  employment  terminates  pursuant to this Section
7(b),  Executive or his legal  representative  shall be entitled to receive: the
Base Salary up through the effective  date of  termination;  any bonus earned by
Executive pursuant to Section 6(a) for a calendar year already completed but not
yet paid; and any benefits to which  Executive is entitled  pursuant to Sections
6(c) through 6(e) up through the effective date of termination.

                 (c)  For  Cause.   Company  also  may   terminate   Executive's
employment under this Agreement for cause. For purposes of this Agreement,  "for
cause" shall mean only (i) Executive's confession or conviction of theft, fraud,
embezzlement,  any felony, or any crime involving  dishonesty with regard to the
Company  or any  subsidiary  or  affiliate  of  the  Company,  (ii)  Executive's
excessive  absenteeism  without  reasonable  cause  (other

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than  because of a  disability  described in Section  7(b),  (iii)  habitual and
material  negligence by the Executive in the  performance of Executive's  duties
and  responsibilities  as  described  in  Section  1 (other  than  because  of a
disability  described  in  Section  7(b)) and  Executive's  failure to cure such
negligence within 30 days after Executive's receipt of a written notice from the
Chairman  of the Board of  Directors  setting  forth in  reasonable  detail  the
particulars of such negligence,  or (iv) material failure by Executive to comply
with a lawful  directive  of the Board of  Directors  (other  than  because of a
disability  described  in  Section  7(b)) and  Executive's  failure to cure such
non-compliance within 10 days after Executive's receipt of a written notice from
the Chairman of the Board of Directors  setting forth in  reasonable  detail the
particulars of such  non-compliance.  Termination  shall occur effective 30 days
after "for cause" is established.  If Executive's employment terminates pursuant
to this Section 7(c),  Executive shall be entitled to receive the Base Salary up
through the effective date of termination and any benefits to which Executive is
entitled pursuant to Sections 6(c) through 6(e) up through the effective date of
termination,  but shall not be entitled  to any bonus for a  completed  calendar
year which has not yet been paid.

                 (d) Voluntary  Resignation.  Executive may  voluntarily  resign
from Company's  employ at any time upon at least 30 days prior written notice of
the  effective  date of such  resignation.  If  Executive  voluntarily  resigns,
Executive  shall be entitled to receive the Base Salary up through the effective
date of such  resignation  and any  benefits  to  which  Executive  is  entitled
pursuant to Sections  6(c)  through 6(e) up through the  effective  date of such
resignation,  but shall not be entitled  to any bonus for a  completed  calendar
year which has not yet been paid.

                 (e) Adverse Change. Executive may terminate his employment with
the Company under this Agreement in the event of an Adverse Change in the manner
described in this Section 7(e) (provided such  termination has not been preceded
or accompanied by a termination by the Company for cause as described in Section
7(c)), and for the avoidance of doubt such termination because of Adverse Change
shall in no event be  considered a voluntary  resignation.  For purposes of this
Agreement,  "Adverse  Change"  shall  mean  any of  the  foregoing  events:  (i)
Executive's base salary is decreased below the Base Salary level  established by
Section   5,  or  (ii)   Executive's   title,   authority,   role  or  level  of
responsibilities with the Company is decreased below that established by Section
1, or (iii) Executive is required to relocate his primary office from Baltimore,
Maryland.  Executive shall be regarded as having  terminated his employment with
the Company  because of an Adverse Change only if he gives written notice of his
termination  of  employment  pursuant  to this  Section  7(e)  within two months
following the  effective  date of the Adverse  Change (or, if later,  within two
months after Executive  receives notice from the Company of the Adverse Change).
If Executive's  employment  terminates pursuant to this Section 7(e),  Executive
shall be  entitled  to:  continue to receive  the Base  Salary  provided  for in
Section 5 for a period of 12 months after the effective date of such termination
of  employment  on the Company's  normal  payroll dates during such period;  any
bonus earned by Executive  pursuant to Section 6(a) for a calendar  year already
completed  but not yet paid;  and any  benefits to which  Executive  is entitled
pursuant  to  Sections  6(c)  through  6(e) up  through  the  effective  date of
termination.

                 (f)  Without  Cause.  The  Company  may  terminate  Executive's
employment  under this  Agreement  without  cause,  which for  purposes  of this
Agreement  shall include any  termination of  Executive's  employment by Company
other than "for  cause" as defined  in  Section  7(c) and other than  because of
disability  pursuant to Section  7(b),  upon no less than 30 days prior  written
notice. If the Company terminates  Executive's employment without cause pursuant
to this  Section  7(f),  then  following  such  termination  Executive  shall be

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entitled to: continue to receive the Base Salary provided for in Section 5 for a
period of 12 months after the effective  date of such  termination of employment
on the Company's  normal  payroll dates during such period;  any bonus earned by
Executive pursuant to Section 6(a) for a calendar year already completed but not
yet paid; and any benefits to which  Executive is entitled  pursuant to Sections
6(c) through 6(e) up through the effective date of termination.

     8. Notice of  Termination.  Any  termination of  Executive's  employment by
Company shall be communicated in a written Termination Notice to Executive.  For
purposes of this Agreement,  a "Termination Notice" shall mean a notice from the
Board of Directors  which shall indicate the specific  termination  provision in
this  Agreement  relied upon and, if  applicable,  shall set forth in reasonable
detail  the  facts  and  circumstances  providing  a basis  for  termination  of
Executive's employment under the provision so indicated.

     9.  Successors  and  Assigns.  This  Agreement  and all  rights  under this
Agreement shall be binding upon,  inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by
the  parties  hereto and their  respective  personal  or legal  representatives,
executors, administrators,  heirs, distributees, devisees, legatees, successors,
and assigns. This Agreement is personal in nature, and neither of the parties to
this  Agreement  shall,  without  the  written  consent of the other,  assign or
transfer this  Agreement or any right or obligation  under this Agreement to any
other  person or entity,  except that the Company may assign the  Agreement to a
successor corporation.

     10.   Notices.   For  purposes  of  this   Agreement,   notices  and  other
communications  provided  for in this  Agreement  shall be deemed to be properly
given if delivered  personally or sent by United States  certified mail,  return
receipt  requested,  postage  prepaid,  or sent by overnight  delivery  service,
addressed as follows:

        If to Executive: At Executive's home address on file at the Company

        If to Company:   SITEL Corporation
                         7277 World Communications Drive
                         Omaha, Nebraska 68122
                         Attn: Chairman of the Board of Directors

or to such other  address as either party may have  furnished to the other party
in writing in accordance with this Section. Such notices or other communications
shall be effective  when received if delivered  personally or when  deposited in
the  U.S.  mail if  delivered  by  certified  mail or when  deposited  with  the
overnight  delivery  service if delivered  by that  method.  Notices also may be
given by  facsimile  and in such case shall be deemed to be properly  given when
sent so long as the sender uses  reasonable  efforts to confirm and does confirm
the receiver's receipt of the facsimile transmission.

     11. Miscellaneous.  No provision of this Agreement may be modified, waived,
or  discharged  unless such waiver,  modification,  or discharge is agreed to in
writing and is signed by Executive  and an officer of Company so  authorized  by
the Board of Directors of Company.  No waiver by either party to this  Agreement
at any time of any  breach by the other  party  of, or  compliance  by the other
party with,  any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by the
other party shall be deemed to be a waiver of similar or  dissimilar  provisions
or conditions at the same or any prior or subsequent time.

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     12.  Validity.  The invalidity or  unenforceability  of any provision(s) of
this  Agreement  shall not affect the  validity or  enforceability  of any other
provision of this  Agreement,  which other  provision shall remain in full force
and effect;  nor shall the  invalidity or  unenforceability  of a portion of any
provision of this Agreement affect the validity or enforceability of the balance
of such provision.

     13.   Counterparts.   This   document  may  be  executed  in  one  or  more
counterparts,  each of which shall be deemed to be an original  and all of which
together shall constitute a single agreement.

     14.  Headings.  The headings of the sections and  subsections  contained in
this  Agreement are for reference  purposes only and shall not in any way affect
the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement.

     15.  Applicable  Law. This Agreement  shall be governed by and construed in
accordance  with the internal  substantive  laws,  and not the  conflicts of law
principles, of the State of Maryland.

     16. Entire  Agreement.  This Agreement  constitutes the entire agreement of
the parties with respect to the terms of Executive's employment with the Company
and  cancels and  supersedes  any prior  agreements  and  understandings  of the
parties  with  respect to such  subject  matter;  provided,  however,  that this
Agreement shall not affect any  noncompetition  and  confidentiality  agreements
previously entered into by Executive with the Company each of which shall remain
in full  force  and  effect  according  to their  current  terms.  There  are no
representations,  warranties,  terms,  conditions,  undertakings  or  collateral
agreements,  express, implied or statutory,  between the parties with respect to
the  terms  of  Executive's  employment  other  than  those  set  forth  in this
Agreement.

                            (Signature page follows.)

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                                SIGNATURE PAGE TO
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Company and Executive have executed this Agreement.

                                        SITEL CORPORATION, a Minnesota
                                        corporation


                                        By:/s/ James F. Lynch
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                                           James F. Lynch, Chairman of the Board




                                          /s/ Phillip A. Clough
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          PHILLIP A. CLOUGH

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