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 an