The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) plans to recruit a number of additional ombudsmen to work within the organisation's dispute resolutions team.
In a job advertisement published late last week, the independent dispute resolution service for investors and financial services called for ombudsmen to work as part of its decisions team.
The new ombudsmen will work across FOS's "more complex disputes" in the areas of banking, credit, investments and insurance, the advertisement said.
"Your role will be to make decisions, individually or as part of a panel, on our more complex disputes in accordance with the relevant Terms of Reference," it said.
"The FOS board will make the appointment for a term of up to three years, which may be renewed".
Calls to FOS were not returned by InvestorDaily's deadline.
In August, FOS chief ombudsman Shane Tregillis outlined the organisation's three year strategic plan, which included details of FOS's need to recruit new staff.
As part of the plan, FOS has made changes to its organisation structure and created a new senior leadership group of executive general managers and lead ombudsmen, FOS's strategic plan document said.
"The environment in which we operate has changed significantly - a trend that is set to continue in the years ahead," the document said.
Over the past four years the number of disputes between an investor and their financial service provider has increased "dramatically". In 2011 to 2012, the number only has increased by 21 per cent, it said.
As a result, investors and stakeholders have higher expectations and a "desire for deeper engagement" which will lead to increased workloads for FOS staff and a greater proportion of new staff.
FOS's three year plan centres on providing a customer-centric service; being a trusted organisation; and a smart, efficient and responsible business, the document said.
