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