Nissan is looking to cut about 250 jobs from its UK factory, as part of a global shake-up in the face of weak sales.
A spokesperson confirmed a voluntary leave scheme had opened to shop floor and office staff at the Sunderland plant this week.
Manufacturing staff will not be affected by the move, which is intended to “support efficiency”.
The car manufacturer employs about 133,500 people globally, with about 6,000 workers in Sunderland.
In May, the company said it planned to cut 11,000 jobs globally and shut seven factories, bringing the total number of job cuts announced by the firm over the past 12 months to about 20,000.
A spokesperson said the Sunderland plant remained “at the forefront of our electrification strategy”.
“In order to support future competitiveness, this week we are beginning discussions with some of our team in Sunderland about the opportunity to voluntarily leave Nissan, with support from the company,” the spokesperson said.
“This will support the plant’s efficiency as we aim to become a leaner, more resilient, business.”
Earlier in June, the car manufacturer unveiled details of its new Leaf electric vehicle, which is set to be built at the Sunderland factory.
The site already builds the carmaker’s Juke and Qashqai models.