Where an ombudsman can go next
5 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role an ombudsman already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.
Ombudsmen resolve disputes between two parties where there is a power imbalance, as an impartial mediator. They interview the parties involved and investigate the case in order to come to a resolution beneficial to both parties. They advise on conflict resolution and offer support to clients. The claims are mostly against public institutions and authorities.
Also known as information commissioner, ombudswoman, children's ombudsman.
Professionals 24 skills on file 5 career moves 0 above 60% overlap Closest: mediator, 30%
- 70% and above · short step
- 50 to 70% · real move
- Below 50% · substantial retraining
Table 1 · A bigger jump
Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.
Table 2 · What the job itself asks for
An ombudsman needs 11 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.
- show impartiality communication, collaboration and creativity
- private law business, administration and law
- facilitate official agreement communication, collaboration and creativity
- manage contract disputes communication, collaboration and creativity
- apply knowledge of human behaviour communication, collaboration and creativity
- show intercultural awareness communication, collaboration and creativity
- observe confidentiality assisting and caring
- respond to enquiries assisting and caring
- employment law business, administration and law
- apply conflict management communication, collaboration and creativity
Table 3 · Jobs that lead here
The reverse view: occupations whose skills already cover much of what an ombudsman does. The figure is how much of this job each one brings.
- mediator 56% covered · difficulty 40.9
- labour relations officer 39% covered · difficulty 55.4
- social security officer 34% covered · difficulty 58.9
- health and safety officer 33% covered · difficulty 59.8
- health and safety inspector 33% covered · difficulty 60.2
- human rights officer 33% covered · difficulty 60.4
Look up another occupation
Ombudsman is filed under Professionals, ISCO major group 2. The full index lists all ten groups.
How these figures were compiled
Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of an ombudsman’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.