Operational People Manager

Financial Ombudsman Service; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday entitlements

Generous pension

Private medical insurance

Hybrid/office flexible working

Mentorship and development programs

Job summary

Financial Ombudsman Service is seeking an experienced Operational People Manager in Manchester to lead a team of 15+ casework Investigators. You will drive performance, coach staff, and manage change to deliver fair, timely outcomes for customers.

The role focuses on people management, performance improvement and team engagement, with hybrid working and clear development pathways. A strong customer‑service mindset is essential.

Qualifications

• Directly line managed a team of 15+ professionals in a similar‑scale role.
• Used performance data, management information or reporting to identify trends and improvements.
• Led or supported change while maintaining team engagement in a fast‑paced environment.
• Promoted diversity, equity and inclusion through inclusive leadership and positive relationships.
• Delivered or overseen high‑quality customer service and timely issue resolution.
• Confidently used MS Office tools, data and reports to monitor activity and decision‑making.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of 15+ Investigators, supporting performance against targets.
• Review performance with clear feedback and coaching to improve outcomes.
• Identify performance gaps and drive improvement through formal/informal approaches.
• Use casework data to spot trends and intervene where needed.
• Ensure investigations are thorough, fair and timely communicated to customers.
• Manage service complaints and improve customer experience.
• Foster a positive, coaching‑focused environment for skill development.
• Collaborate with Senior Investigators and HR on learning interventions.
• Align team objectives with delivering fair, timely, impartial resolutions.
• Promote open communication and flexibility, including cross‑team moves.
• Recognise contributions to build morale within the team.

Skills

Team leadership

Performance management

Coaching & mentoring

Change management

Diversity & inclusion

Customer service

Data-driven decisions

Microsoft Office

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Looking for a new challenge?

Take a look at our current vacancies.

Are you a natural leader with a passion for people?

If you’re an experienced people manager who can motivate teams, drive performance and support colleagues through change, this could be a great opportunity to make a real impact. We’re looking for Operational People Managers to lead teams of casework Investigators and help them deliver fair, timely and high-quality outcomes for our customers.

Join a team where Purpose drives everything we do, Ambition fuels our growth, Trust builds our foundation, and Respect shapes our culture.

We're not just hiring — we're inviting you to build the future with us.

If you're curious, driven, and ready to leave your mark, this is your invitation to make your next move.

Contract: Permanent

Working hours: 35 hours per week is full time. Where possible, we are open to considering part‑time/flexible working patterns. Please let us know in your application your desired working pattern.

Salary: £59,297

Location: Manchester

Reporting to: Ombudsman Leader

By joining our team, you'll enjoy the best of both worlds – hybrid working and the collaboration of a great office environment. Our permanent hybrid policy sees us all working at least four days across a fortnight in the office. As well as extensive opportunities for personal and career development.

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.

This is a non‑technical leadership role focused on people management, performance improvement, coaching and team engagement. You’ll manage a team of Investigators, creating the right environment for people to perform at their best, build resilience and continuously improve the service we provide.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and manage a team of 15+ Investigators, supporting both individual and team performance against agreed expectations.
• Review performance regularly, using clear feedback, coaching and support to help people perform at their best.
• Identify performance gaps and take timely action through formal and informal improvement approaches, in line with our policies and procedures.
• Use casework data and management information to spot trends, understand performance dips and intervene where needed.
• Make sure casework investigations are thorough, fair, impartial and clearly communicated to customers in a timely way.
• Manage service complaints promptly and professionally, helping to resolve issues and improve customer experience.
• Create a positive, motivating environment where Investigators can develop new skills, share knowledge and contribute to continuous improvement.
• Use coaching techniques to support team members’ development, confidence and wellbeing.
• Work with Senior Investigators and colleagues across the Directorate to share technical guidance, solutions, coaching and mentoring.
• Identify training needs and work with HR and relevant colleagues to support appropriate learning interventions.
• Help Investigators build empathy and resilience so they can look after their wellbeing and handle complaints effectively.
• Set realistic, stretching goals with team members, track progress and support accountability for delivery.
• Align team objectives with our mission to deliver fair, timely and impartial resolutions.
• Work closely with casework leaders to support clear communication between the organisation and your team.
• Promote open communication, collaboration and flexibility, including supporting the movement of Investigators across product groups when needed.
• Recognise and appreciate team members’ contributions, building morale and engagement in line with our values.

To be considered for this role, you’ll need to show us that you’ve got the skills and capabilities. You’ll have to meet the following minimum criteria:

Minimum Criteria

• Directly line managed a team of 15 plus professionals in a similar‑scale role, including setting objectives, reviewing performance and supporting delivery against agreed targets.
• Used performance data, management information or reporting to identify trends, address underperformance and demonstrate improvements in service or team outcomes.
• Held regular performance or development conversations, giving constructive feedback and agreeing clear actions to support individual improvement.
• Led or supported change while maintaining team engagement and helping colleagues adapt in a fast‑paced or changing environment.
• Promoted diversity, equity and inclusion through inclusive leadership, fair decision‑making and positive working relationships with colleagues and customers.
• Delivered or overseen high‑quality customer service, including clear written or verbal communication and timely resolution of customer issues or complaints.
• Confidently used Microsoft Office tools, data and reports to monitor activity, track progress and support effective decision‑making.

We would also like you to have the following skills

• Knowledge of the financial services industry.
• Experience in handling customer service complaints.
• Familiarity with performance management systems.

Why You'll Love Working With Us

We are a values led organisation. Our values define our culture, influence our decisions, and underpin our vision and strategy. They set out how we play our PART through Purpose, Ambition, Respect and Trust. You can learn more about our values here: https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/who-we-are/aims-values

• Flexibility: Work your way — hybrid, or in‑office
• Wellbeing: Health plan, gym memberships, mental health support
• Growth: We invest in your future with courses, mentorship, promotions
• Culture: Diverse. Inclusive. Collaborative. Fun.

We also offer an attractive, competitive salary and flexible benefits to suit our people. Here’s a list of some of the many benefits and perks you can get for working with us:

• 25 days holiday entitlement, with the option to buy extra or sell days
• Generous pension
• Various Family Friendly Policies, including enhanced maternity pay, carers and dependants leave
• Employer provided benefits such as Private medical insurance, virtual GP, Critical illness cover, Life assurance cover, to name a few
• Choice of voluntary benefits including Technology scheme, Cycle to work scheme, Will-writing service amongst others

Let’s Make This Easy.

Applications need to be submitted by 23:59 Sunday 20th September

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete an online assessment.

The Financial Ombudsman is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team We view diversity as fundamental to our success and welcome applications from underrepresented groups across all communities.

https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/who-we-are/aims-values/diversity-inclusion

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

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.