Optus said the ad was "completely unacceptable".

Optus has described a job ad that specifically asked for an “Anglo Saxon” candidate as “completely unacceptable”, saying it is investigating the incident.

The ad, which has now been deleted, was posted on Thursday afternoon by a store on Sydney’s north shore and is no longer visible. But cached versions of the ad are still circulating online.

In a statement to Junkee, Optus Vice President Human Resources Vaughan Paul said the ad was “a clear breach of our advertising standards and commitment to equal opportunity employment”.

“This error is completely unacceptable,” Paul said. “We have removed the advert, and will be investigating how this occurred with a view to taking disciplinary action against those involved. This incident is unacceptable and does not reflect Optus’ values of diversity and inclusion.”

In 2015, Optus was forced to remove some outdoor advertisements that featured Arabic writing after a backlash from racist dickheads led to threats being made against some staff.

At the time, Optus defended the ads saying that it “believes in a welcoming an inclusive society”, but that staff safety must be a first priority.

“Following a threat to our store staff, we made the decision to remove some materials that were published in Arabic,” an Optus spokesperson said at the time. “The safety and security of our staff is paramount.”

“Optus remains committed to minimising and eliminating discrimination through our corporate culture, marketing activities, employment practices and interactions with the community.”