At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a specialist team managing escalated complaints and improve customer outcomes.
- Company: Join Santander, a diverse workplace committed to fairness and inclusion.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, 27 days holiday, private medical cover, and gym passes.
- Other info: Flexible working hours available; thrive in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by enhancing complaint handling and customer satisfaction.
- Qualifications: Experience in complaint handling and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Country: United Kingdom
Why apply for this role?
This is an excellent opportunity to lead a specialist team responsible for managing complaints referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), helping to deliver fair, timely and well-evidenced outcomes for customers.
As Ombudsman & Escalated Complaints Team Leader, you’ll play a key role in supporting the business to strengthen complaint handling, improve customer outcomes and reduce avoidable FOS referrals.
You’ll lead, coach and develop a dedicated case-handling team, providing technical guidance on complex and sensitive cases while using insight from FOS decisions, trends and MI to drive continuous improvement across Customer Relations and wider business areas.
Please note the closing date for this role will be, end of day, Tuesday 29th September 2026
Responsibilities include
- Leading the day-to-day delivery, performance, wellbeing and capability of a specialist team managing FOS complaints.
- Ensuring FOS referrals are investigated, evidenced and responded to within required timescales and to a high-quality standard.
- Providing technical guidance and decision support on complex, sensitive, high-value or precedent-setting cases.
- Reviewing case strategy, evidence, rationale and redress to ensure fair, consistent and customer-focused outcomes.
- Overseeing responses to FOS investigator views, provisional assessments and final decisions, ensuring actions and redress are completed accurately and promptly.
- Building constructive working relationships with FOS, customers, internal stakeholders and third parties to support clear, timely and evidence-based communication.
- Monitoring team MI and KPIs, including caseload, ageing, timeliness, productivity, quality, outcomes and redress trends.
- Completing regular quality and case reviews, providing actionable feedback and coaching to improve technical judgement, investigation standards and written advocacy.
- Identifying FOS themes, root causes, repeat failure points and systemic issues, escalating risks and translating insight into process, control and customer outcome improvements.
- Supporting governance reporting, priority escalations and continuous improvement activity across Customer Relations and wider business areas.
What we're looking for
- Significant experience in complaint handling, customer relations or a regulated financial services environment, including demonstrable experience of cases referred to FOS.
- Strong working knowledge of FCA DISP complaint-handling requirements, FOS complaint resolution and the importance of fair customer outcomes.
- Previous people leadership, team management, coaching or technical leadership experience within a complaints environment.
- Confidence assessing evidence, jurisdiction, fairness, liability, redress and customer impact to support clear and defensible case decisions.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex complaint decisions clearly to FOS, customers and senior stakeholders.
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret MI, identify trends and use insight to manage performance, risk and improvement activity.
- A collaborative approach, with the ability to build effective relationships across Customer Relations, Quality Assurance, Risk, Compliance, Legal, operational and product teams.
- High levels of accuracy, judgement, accountability and resilience when managing competing priorities, sensitive cases and regulatory expectations.
- Competence using Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel, and the ability to learn complaint and FOS case-management systems quickly.
- A relevant complaint-handling, regulatory, leadership or financial services qualification would be desirable.
We have a range of benefits available which include
- Competitive salary dependent on experience
- 27 days holiday per annum, plus bank holidays
- Annual bonus based on personal and company performance
- Private medical cover
- £500 flexible benefit allowance
- Generous pension contributions
- Employee assistance programme
- Sharesave scheme
- Gym passes at a reduced rate for 3,000 gyms, leisure centres etc
- Inclusion
At Santander we’re creating a thriving workplace where all colleagues feel they belong and are supported to succeed.
We all help to make Santander a workplace that celebrates diversity and attracts, retains and develops the most talented and committed people through living our values of Simple, Personal, and Fair.
At Santander Consumer Finance we have a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, bullying, harassment (including sexual) or victimisation of any kind.
Should you want to be considered for part time hours, please let us know and we can assess your requirements.
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SCUK Ombudsman & Escalated Complaints Team Leader in Redhill employer: Santander Consumer (UK) plc
Santander Consumer Finance is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Cranfield where collaboration and efficiency are at the forefront of our operations. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide ample opportunities for professional development and a supportive culture that values teamwork and innovation. Join us to be part of a company that prioritises your career while ensuring a meaningful impact in the logistics sector.
Contact Details:
Santander Consumer (UK) plc Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land SCUK Ombudsman & Escalated Complaints Team Leader in Redhill
✨Get to Know the Company Culture
Before jumping into applications, it’s super helpful to understand the vibe at Santander Consumer (UK) plc. Check out their social media, read reviews on sites like Glassdoor, and see how they engage with customers. It'll give you clues on their values and help tailor your conversation during interviews.
✨Join Customer Support Communities
Dive into online communities like those on Reddit or LinkedIn where customer support pros hang out. Participating in discussions or asking questions can make you more visible to potential recruiters and help you learn about job openings at companies like Santander Consumer (UK) plc before they even post them.
✨Attend Job Fairs or Networking Events
Look out for local job fairs or events specifically for customer support roles. This is your chance to meet hiring managers face-to-face, and you might even get the opportunity to interview on the spot!
✨Show Off Your Skills with Customer Interactions
In the customer support world, showcasing your communication skills is key. Consider creating a short video introducing yourself or even doing a mock call to showcase your abilities. It's a memorable way to stand out, especially if you can share this during your interview process!
We think you need these skills to ace SCUK Ombudsman & Escalated Complaints Team Leader in Redhill
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Communication Skills:In customer support, clear communication is key. Make sure your CV highlights any experience you've had in customer-facing roles and your ability to resolve issues. Don't shy away from including specific examples of how you've gone above and beyond to help customers – this really shows your potential in the role.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Santander Consumer (UK) plc:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Tell us why you want to work at Santander Consumer (UK) plc specifically. Mention any unique aspects of our company that resonate with you and how your skills can enhance our customer support. This personal touch will set your application apart from the rest!
Highlight Any Relevant Tools or Tech Skills:If you've used customer support software like Zendesk or Freshdesk or have experience with CRM systems, make sure to mention these in your application. Being familiar with industry-standard tools can be a big plus for us when we’re reviewing applications, as it shows you can hit the ground running!
Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Skills:Customer support roles often require a knack for problem-solving. In your application, share examples of past experiences where you've tackled tough situations or resolved conflicts effectively. This will give us a good sense of how you handle challenges—an essential skill for success at Santander Consumer (UK) plc!
How to prepare for a job interview at Santander Consumer (UK) plc
✨Show Off Your People Skills
In customer support, it's all about communicating effectively. Prepare to share instances from your past experiences where you handled difficult customers or resolved conflicts. We want to hear how you empathised and found the best solutions, so think of specific examples to back up your stories!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with common customer support tools like Zendesk or Freshdesk, and make sure to review how you’ve used any similar systems in the past. During the interview, being able to discuss your hands-on experience with software or ticketing systems can really set you apart from the competition, so don’t skip this prep!
✨Show Genuine Enthusiasm
As this is a full-time role, employers want someone who isn’t just looking for any job, but wants to grow within customer support. Make sure to express your enthusiasm for helping customers and your desire to develop your skills. Show them why you're passionate about this field!
✨Practice Common Scenarios
Be prepared for role-playing scenarios where you might have to reassess a solution with a frustrated customer or explain a complex process in simple terms. Practising these common scenarios can help us feel more confident and demonstrate our practical skills effectively during the interview.
