Fca Complaints Handler

With over 20 years heritage we’re the UKs largest multi-service provider and still growing. We supply almost 200k businesses with their gas, electricity, water, insurance, card payment terminals, mobile, broadband, and telecoms services. We’ve won numerous awards over the years and this is because our colleagues and customers are at the heart of everything we do. With offices in Glasgow, Central Manchester, South Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Ipswich, and Nottingham and employing over 1000 people - we’re on a mission to be the one-stop essential services provider to small businesses, making customer's lives easy and helping our people succeed.

At Verastar, we don’t just do jobs, we do careers. We’ve got ambitious growth plans, and our people will grow with us. We’ll give you everything you need to develop and succeed. That means things like flexible working, a totally transparent rewards structure, a diverse and inclusive workplace, and the control to drive your own career and shape your own opportunities.

**What you’ll be doing**
- Resolve all high-level complaints to a high standard within set timescales, SLAs and regulations.
- Work with stakeholders (internal and external) to gather relevant information related to the complaint and reaching a fair and amicable resolution that balances customer expectations against commercial interests.
- Prepare and submit Ombudsman/third party case files to a high standard whilst considering customer experience and commercial aspects associated to Verastar.
- Where appropriate, challenge third party decisions using your strong negotiation skills and fact-based evidence to support.
- Identify and feedback trends to QA, L&D and business to reduce FOS complaints and share best practice in resolving customer complaints to improve front end resolution.
- Lead “lessons learnt” exercises with operational leaders so they are able to drive improvements within their teams.
- Work with the QA & Complaints Manager to make changes to complaint frameworks and process improvements, where required.
- Build close working relationships with third party organisations, including our insurance partners.
- Make sure that systems are updated with accurate account information.
- Ensure all activity meets FCA regulatory requirements, GDPR, compliance and quality policies and report any potential areas of non-compliance, risk, and conflicts of interest.
- Maintain an in-depth working knowledge of FCA regulation with support from the compliance team.
- Maintain an expert working knowledge of all FCA services products and processes.
- Create and maintain excellent working relationships across the Verastar colleague community.

**Skills (The personal capabilities needed to excel in this role)**
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills, with an ability to adapt communication styles to individual colleagues and customers and negotiate effectively at all levels.
- High level of attention to detail and organisation, with a sense of ownership, pride and responsibility for the accuracy of your own work
- A professional, friendly and helpful demeanour, with the desire to create great working relationships with both colleagues and customers.
- Ability and confidence to work autonomously, with the drive, curiosity and determination to find the best resolution for customer complaints.
- A genuine interest in your own development and learning needs, with the energy and desire to act autonomously to improve your performance and knowledge
- Strong numeracy skill with the ability to identify data trends to make recommendations.

**What you need to have already done to be right for this role**
- A minimum 2 years’ experience in a complaint handling role within a similar industry (Insurance/FCA regulated).
- An in-depth knowledge of FCA industry standards/expectations.
- An in-depth knowledge of industry standards and regulation relating to complaint frameworks
- Experience liaising with third party organisations and responding to their requests for information.
- Experience handling a demanding caseload in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience of negotiation within a customer facing and third-party contact environment.
- Experience utilising customer information management systems.

**Qualifications and other requirements**
- Industry Experience: Working within an FCA regulated industry
- IT literate with excellent working knowledge in the effective use of Microsoft (Word, Excel PowerPoint) is essential.

**In return for your hard work, you’ll get**
- Core benefits including pension contributions and life assurance
- Great discounts on 100s of high street and online stores
- 25 days holiday and the option to buy up to 5 days more
- Cycle to work and travel loans for people wanting a greener commute
- Wellbeing support including 24/7 access to a GP, mental health support, get fit programmes and free legal and financial guidance

**The important extras**
- Opportunities to get