Healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson has announced plans to bring 500 jobs to the Bay area during the next few years.

The company has plans to open a services headquarters in Tampa and phase the jobs in over the next three years. The company plans a capital investment of $23.5 million into the region.

According to a statement released by the company, the multi-functional regional shared services center, which will be fully operational by mid-2016, will be part of a broader network of Johnson & Johnson centers that are designed to handle work for its operating companies in the areas of finance, human resources, information technology and procurement.

The company plans to locate its new facility in the Hidden River Corporate Park in New Tampa.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott praised the move.

"It’s exciting that Johnson & Johnson chose Florida for its North America shared services headquarters over other states," Scott said. "I look forward to their continued success in Tampa and across the state."

Johnson & Johnson is the latest company to decide to locate or expand operations recently in Tampa and Hillsborough County, joining Bristol-Myers Squibb, Covidien, Amazon, and Ashley Furniture Industries.