Ombudsman Specialist / Member Escalation Advisor
Location: Hybrid (Washington, DC)
Schedule: Remote Monday and Friday; onsite Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
Duration: Initial 24-Month Contract with Anticipated Extensions
Hours: Full-Time, 40 Hours per Week
Rate: $42/hr W2
Position Overview
We are seeking a highly empathetic, analytical, and customer-focused Ombudsman Specialist to support a high-volume consumer care and member advocacy organization.
This role serves as a critical escalation point for complex member concerns, executive-level inquiries, consumer rights requests, fraud-related investigations, and customer experience issues. The successful candidate will act as a trusted advocate, conducting investigations, managing sensitive cases, collaborating with internal stakeholders, and ensuring timely, compliant, and effective resolutions.
The ideal candidate excels in de-escalating challenging situations, communicating professionally across multiple channels, and balancing empathy with sound business judgment. This is a long-term opportunity supporting multiple ongoing operational initiatives in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment.
Key Responsibilities
Escalation Management & Member Advocacy
- Manage and resolve complex escalated inquiries received through phone, email, written correspondence, chat, social media, and internal referral channels
- Support high-visibility cases including executive escalations, Attorney General inquiries, Better Business Bureau complaints, and other sensitive member concerns
- Act as a primary point of contact for members requiring advanced issue resolution
- Utilize service recovery strategies to improve member satisfaction and outcomes
- Ensure all interactions reflect professionalism, empathy, and organizational values
Consumer Rights Requests & Compliance Support
- Support consumer rights request processes and related compliance requirements
- Research, validate, and process requests across multiple systems and platforms
- Maintain adherence to service-level agreements (SLAs), regulatory requirements, and internal procedures
- Escalate concerns appropriately when compliance risks or unusual circumstances arise
Case Investigation & Resolution
- Conduct investigations involving membership issues, payment concerns, rewards programs, account access issues, and potential fraudulent activity
- Analyze account information, system data, and transaction history to identify root causes and resolution paths
- Coordinate with cross-functional teams to gather information and drive case resolution
- Document findings and maintain detailed case records
Member Communications
- Communicate with members through phone, email, and written correspondence
- Draft professional, accurate, and empathetic responses tailored to a variety of audiences
- Explain policies, procedures, and resolution outcomes clearly and effectively
- Manage highly sensitive and emotionally charged conversations with professionalism and tact
Team Collaboration
- Partner closely with advisors, operations teams, fraud specialists, and leadership stakeholders
- Share trends, recurring issues, and process improvement opportunities
- Participate in team meetings, training sessions, and ongoing knowledge-sharing activities
- Support a collaborative team environment focused on exceptional member experiences
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, or a related field preferred
- Minimum of 6 years of experience in:
- Escalation management
- Executive correspondence
- Customer advocacy
- Ombudsman services
- Contact center operations
- Member support environments
- Case management or related fields
- Experience handling complex, high-visibility escalations involving multiple stakeholders
- Strong investigative, analytical, and critical thinking skills
- Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities
- Proven ability to de-escalate sensitive situations and manage difficult conversations
- Strong organizational and time-management skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously while meeting strict deadlines and service levels
- High degree of professionalism, ownership, accountability, and sound judgment
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience handling Attorney General, Better Business Bureau, executive, or regulatory escalations
- Consumer rights request or privacy-related experience
- Fraud investigation or fraud prevention experience
- Salesforce experience
- Membership-based organization experience
- Experience working in highly regulated or compliance-focused environments
Success Profile
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
- Exceptional empathy and emotional intelligence
- Strong conflict resolution and de-escalation skills
- Ability to work effectively under pressure
- Self-motivation and accountability
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Strong collaboration and teamwork
- Sound judgment and decision-making abilities
- Commitment to delivering outstanding customer and member experiences
Training & Onboarding
- Structured onboarding and training program
- Hands-on learning through shadowing and advisor mentorship
- Progressive training model focused on specific workstreams and case types
- Ongoing coaching, development, and support from experienced team members
Interview Process
- One interview with the hiring manager
- Writing assessment may be required
- Fast-moving interview process
Eligibility Requirements:
- Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required.
- As a contractor, including remote contractors, you may be required to complete a background check.
As a contractor, you will be paid for the time you work; this does not include paid time off (PTO) or holidays. If you participate in our Payroll Services (W2) engagement, you may be eligible for Paid Sick Leave (PSL), depending on your work location and state-specific regulations.