Senior Investigator Review

Item: Senior Investigator at Financial Ombudsman Service
Rating: 4.6
Author: Anonymous

at Financial Ombudsman Service

Level 3 Apprenticeship

Finance

South Quay DLR station, District of Freedom#8573311~!#, Harbour Exchange Square, London E14 9GQ, UK

Review Submitted: May 2022

Overall Rating

4.6 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

4.5/5 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

4.6/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

5/5

My role involves completing casework and providing support to both investigators and ombudsman managers in the pod in a variety of different ways. This mainly involves ensuring the pod runs smoothly, identifying problems and implementing solutions, and heading projects which require oversight. It is a busy but fulfilling role to be a part of.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

4/5

I enjoy the programme and the learning content. I think I am exploring and learning useful skills which will aid me in my future career. The more difficult aspect is balancing the work required with my day to day responsibilities and do everything justice. It can be overwhelming at times.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

As a senior investigator, and when looking to progress to ombudsman manager, part of the role is being able to manage people effectively and be a good leader. For someone who has no experience of managing people, this course has been extremely useful. I am now able to step back from a situation, understand what possible ways there are to deal with it, and decide how best to proceed rather than just acting instinctively.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

3/5

I think the programme is as structured as your coach from the provider makes it. At the start it did not feel very structured and I think I could have been given clearer and better information about what's expected, by when and how to access the information needed. It felt like I had to figure it out on my own or received some information too late. Now it feels more structured than before but without any real accountability at times.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

5/5

My employer has been supportive in offering the program and making clear the expectations of managers and people around you when completing the course. This has been useful for setting the tone and invaluable in terms of being able to develop my skills for the future so I am grateful for the ecperience.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

5/5

My coach is supportive and always willing to answer questions as and when I have them. The majority of the content is self learned and applied, but support is available to go over things that you need assistance with. I enjoy my interactions with my coach and their attitude is open and friendly.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

5/5

I have been using skills learned on the course from the very start. It has made me feel more prepared and able to handle managing a team and taking a stronger leadership role within my wider team. Starting with self reflection is such an invaluable tool as you can really learn to develop yourself in the right way.

Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

5/5

My employer has a series of networks covering a range of areas which you can join and be a part of. In addition, there are activities and learning that you can participate in all year around. These include personal development, career development, social and economic talks. The activities are inclusive.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend Financial Ombudsman Service to a friend?

Yes

Why?

The service is a good place to work if you are passionate about helping people and resolving disputes. It can feel as though the pay does not reflect the work done. However I have always felt supported, encouraged and allowed to grow and progress so I would recommend the service to a friend.

What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Financial Ombudsman Service?

I would say that's it's important to have the right attitude, be passionate about the work we do and be resilient. These are all things that will assist with progression and enjoyment of the role and the responsibilities that come with it. We currently are undergoing a period of change, so we'll see what things look like when the changes are all in place.

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