Investigator

Financial Ombudsman Services; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Life assurance

Critical illness cover

Income protection

Private medical insurance

Employee assistance program

Career development

25 days holiday

Job summary

Financial Ombudsman Service is seeking an Investigator to join the Banking team. You will handle cases from initial assessment through to fair, well-reasoned decisions, with training during an academy phase and ongoing support from an Ombudsman Manager.

You’ll investigate complaints about Banking products, manage your caseload, and communicate findings clearly to customers and financial businesses. A rewarding role with strong progression and benefits.

Qualifications

• Excellent decision-making, clear articulation of thinking.
• Strong communication skills, written and verbal in English.
• Experience delivering high-quality customer service, even with challenging customers.
• Sharp analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong administrative skills and ability to prioritise workload.
• Proven track record of meeting targets and service levels.
• Interest in banking products and financial services.

Responsibilities

• Investigate complaints about Banking products.
• Manage own caseload and work toward targets.
• Maintain relationships with customers and financial businesses.
• Examine evidence to reach fair and reasonable decisions.
• Weigh all sides of a story against relevant rules and regulations.
• Communicate findings clearly through written responses with sound judgement.
• Adapt to varying cases in a dynamic environment.

Skills

Decision making

Communication

Customer service

Analytical thinking

Time management

Target achievement

Job description

Contract:

Permanent

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

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

Reporting to: Ombudsman Manager

Start date: 25th January 2027

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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. A customer might be having trouble with their bank account, struggling with payday loans, think an insurance pay out isn’t fair, or be worried about their mortgage.

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 play a key role in Banking products. Each case and each customer are different. No two days are ever the same and sometimes the work is demanding, but it’s a job that makes a real difference and you’ll be rewarded with generous benefits as well as job satisfaction.

Key responsibilities

As an Investigator new to the role, you’ll spend up to six months in our academy getting the training you need to make fair and reasonable decisions with certainty. After that, you’ll work as part of a team, supported by an Ombudsman Manager, overseeing your own caseload and prioritising your work.

You’ll be responsible for:

• Investigating complaints about Banking products


• Managing your caseload effectively to reach targets


• Managing relationships with our customers – both consumers and financial businesses


• Examining evidence to get to the heart of each complaint


• Weighing up all sides of a story and assessing the relevant rules and regulations to make fair and reasonable decisions


• Communicating with empathy – listening carefully to both sides, asking the right 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 have great people skills and an analytical, problem-solving mind.

You may have experience in customer services, sales or retail, in a legal/paralegal role, or have worked in casework, claims or investigative work for another public agency.

Minimum (Essential) Criteria

• Expertise making fair and balanced decisions, where you must articulate your thinking clearly


• Excellent communication skills, including a talent for listening and explaining things in clear language as well as good written English


• Experience providing excellent customer service with people who may be angry or upset


• Critical thinking, problem solving and finding constructive solutions


• Strong administrative skills and the ability to prioritise your workload


• History of working to meet targets or service level agreements


• An interest in developing knowledge of Banking products

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of Banking financial products


• Relevant qualifications within Banking


• Experience in decision making or investigative roles for example, legal, paralegal, casework or claims

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 on our website, where we also have a dedicated careers page. You may also find it useful to check our and .