Investigator

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Investigator

Are you able to get to the heart of the matter?

Contract: permanent

Working hours: Full time (35 hours pw) and Part time (28 hours pw)

Reporting to: Ombudsman Manager

About us

At the Financial Ombudsman Service, we make decisions on a range of complex and difficult issues. Every year we resolve hundreds of thousands of disputes between consumers or small businesses and their financial service providers – and if we believe a customer hasn’t been treated fairly, we can step in to put things right or if we think the business hasn’t done anything wrong, we explain why.

You're accountable for....

You’ll be someone who thrives in an environment where no two days are the same. Working in a targeted environment as part of a small team supported by an Ombudsman Manager, you’ll be accountable for investigating things thoroughly and getting to the heart of our customers’ complaints.

• You’ll be naturally curious and have an interest in financial services products
• Solution focused in your approach, using initiative to make decisions for customers and business that are fair and reasonable
• Able to show empathy through the way you communicate – listening carefully to both sides, asking the right questions, and using sound judgement
• You’ll build trust with customers and businesses alike, using effective communications skills to deliver your findings
• Confident to explain what you think and why through a clear and structured written response

As an Investigator new to the role, you’ll spend up to six months in our academy developing your critical thinking and reasoning skills.

Your experience includes

• Experience of effective decision making with accountability for decisions made.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate evidence using sound judgement and empathy
• Have worked in a targeted environment and demonstrate the ability to work under pressure.
• Excellent customer service skills and confident with both written and verbal communication.
• Able to work autonomously and take ownership for your own workload.
• Knowledge of financial products or experience in decision making or analytical roles (for example, legal / paralegal/casework/claims)

Investigator, Pensions – Coventry 

Make a positive difference to financial services 

Contract: Permanent 

Working hours: full time (35 hours pw) and part time (28 hours pw) 

Salary: £32,577 pa (full time), £26,061.60 pa (part time) 

Reporting to: Ombudsman Manager 

Start date: 11th January 2027 

Our current hybrid policy requires four days per fortnight in the Coventry office. 

Join the ‘Becoming an Investigator’ recruitment network and be one of the first to hear about upcoming opportunities in your area: here 

As part of your induction, you’ll need to spend your first week in our London office. We will cover your expenses for your time in London. 

About us 

The Financial Ombudsman Service is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that plays a vital role in UK financial services. Every day we help resolve disputes between consumers, or small businesses, and their financial service providers. 

The complaints we deal with vary. In this role, you’ll focus on pensions, where complaints can involve detailed financial information, complex calculations and decisions with a significant impact on a customer’s future. 

If we believe a customer hasn’t been treated fairly, we’ll ask the business to put things right. If we think the business isn’t at fault, we’ll explain why. The decisions we make have a huge impact: they can be life-changing for individuals, and they provide insights which are useful for financial businesses. 

By joining us as an Investigator, you’ll get to the heart of complaints about pensions. You’ll analyse detailed and sometimes conflicting information, identify what’s missing, ask probing questions and reach fair, evidence-based conclusions. Previous pensions experience is an advantage, but it's not a requirement. We'll give you the technical training you need. What matters is that you're curious, comfortable  working through complexity and able to explain your thinking clearly.  

Key responsibilities 

As an Investigator new to the role, your journey will start in our Academy, developing the technical knowledge and investigative skills needed to make fair and reasonable decisions. After that, you’ll work as part of a team, supported by an Ombudsman Manager / Operational People Manager, managing your own caseload and prioritising your work. 

You’ll be responsible for: 

• Investigating complaints about pensions 

• Examining detailed evidence, identifying gaps or inconsistencies and asking the right questions to get to the heart of each complaint 

• Analysing the information provided, and considering how the relevant rules and regulations apply in the circumstances, reaching a fair and reasonable decision on each case 

• Managing your caseload effectively to achieve productivity, quality and timeliness targets 

• Managing relationships with consumers, financial businesses and professional representatives, including responding confidently and constructively when your thinking is challenged 

• Communicating with empathy and confidence, listening carefully to both sides, asking probing questions and using sound judgement, and 

• Communicating your findings clearly, explaining what you think and why through a clear and structured written response 

Person specification 

You’ll be a self-starter who can prioritise tasks and work well independently. You’ll enjoy digging into detailed information, following evidence, identifying what doesn’t add up and working through problems where the answer may not be immediately obvious. You’ll also have the confidence and people skills to explain and stand behind your decisions. 

Your experience could come from financial services, legal or paralegal work, casework, complaints, claims, regulation, compliance, customer services or another role where you have analysed information and reached reasoned conclusions. Previous pensions experience is welcome but not essential, as full training is provided. 

Essential Criteria 

• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to assess information, identify key issues and reach evidence-based conclusions 

• Experience making fair and balanced decisions, explaining your reasoning clearly  

• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information clearly in both written and verbal formats 

• Experience supporting customers through challenging or sensitive situations 

• Experience working towards targets, objectives, or service standards 

• An interest in developing knowledge of pensions and retirement products 

Desirable Criteria 

• Experience investigating complex issues, gathering information and identifying key facts to reach a conclusion 

• Experience in casework, complaint-handling, legal, regulatory, compliance or claims environments 

• Knowledge of pensions and retirement products, including how pension decisions can affect customer outcomes 

Why the Financial Ombudsman Service? 

We’re a UK-wide service, with strong values and a diverse workforce, where you can be your authentic self. We’re committed to being a great place to work and to recruiting people from all backgrounds. So, as well as a competitive salary, we offer a great package of benefits, including: 

• Core benefits including generous pension, life assurance, critical illness cover, income protection, personal accident cover, private medical insurance, virtual GP 

• Optional benefits including travel insurance, technology scheme, cycle to work scheme, dining and lifestyle memberships, dental cover 

• Holiday entitlement of 25 days, with the option to buy or sell extra days (full time equivalent) 

• Discounts on your everyday shopping, from groceries and petrol to household goods and gift vouchers 

• An Employee Assistance Program offering professional support with legal, health and money issues 

• Opportunities for personal and career development 

Find out more about our work culture on our website, where we also have a dedicated careers page. You may also find it useful to check our LinkedIn page and Instagram. 

How to apply  

Go to the website and upload your CV, which should highlight relevant skills and experience and explain any gaps in your working life. Use the supporting statement box to demonstrate how you meet the minimum criteria. As part of our investigator recruitment process, applicants who demonstrate the required experience and background through their CV and application will be invited to complete our online assessments. We use the relevant assessment results, together with the information provided in the application, to determine whether candidates meet the minimum criteria for interview. The next stage of the process is interview. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process. 

Please bear in mind that we may close the application window for this role earlier than the date specified if there’s a large number of applications. 

Authenticity of applications 

We value authentic, personal applications. If we determine that your CV or supporting statement was generated using AI tools, your application may be withdrawn from consideration.  

Talent Pool  

Please note that positions are limited and will be filled on the highest scores at interview. Once all vacancies have been allocated; qualifying candidates may be placed in a Talent Pool for future opportunities should they chose to be put on this list. Being part of the Talent Pool does not guarantee a position but ensures you will be considered should further openings arise. 

Proud to be an inclusive employer 

Reflecting the communities, we serve helps us provide the best service to our customers. Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our success, so we welcome applications from women and other under-represented groups. As part of our commitment to the Race at Work Charter, we welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority candidates. 

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and, under the scheme, will progress a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria to interview. Interviews may be conducted via video, telephone, or a panel Interview, with some vacancies requiring an online assessment to measure the minimum criteria. 

If you’d like to speak to us about any reasonable adjustments you need, please email Recruitment@financial-ombudsman.org.uk and let us know your preferred method of contact. 

You can find out more about our Diversity and inclusion strategy and plans on our website where you can also read our 2022 Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing report.