Vacancies and Careers
Full-time Funeral Operative
As a well-established family business we are seeking a full-time Funeral Operative to be part of our funeral team. We also have vacancies for part-time/casual operatives.
Reporting to our Manager based at Maldon, the role will cover all funeral operative tasks and will suit someone looking for an active, variable job that includes a degree of physical exertion.
Tasks include:
- Collection of the deceased from the place of death and bringing them into the care of our funeral home. Sometimes this will occur out of hours and thus you will be part of our rota on-call team.
- Receiving and preparing coffins
- Ensuring all funeral service vehicles are clean and prepared for each funeral
- Driving the hearse or limousines and carrying the coffin from the hearse into the crematorium, churchyard or other place of rest.
- Assist and support the relatives and friends through the ceremony
- Preparation and presentation of the deceased
- Participating in the out of hours rota system to cover removals. Details will be discussed at interview.
- Maintaining accurate records as required either in writing or using a computer.
- Cleaning public areas, mortuary and workshops on a daily basis to maintain our high standard of hygiene and cleanliness
You should be physically fit and hold a clean UK driving licence for at least three years.
No previous experience in this profession is required as full training will be given
Salary will be £25,355, excluding additional payments for on-call rota and out-of-hours call-outs.
Please print, complete and return the application form in the pack below if you are interested in this role.
Part time/casual chauffeur/bearer
Approximately 5-16 hours per week, or as required.
We are currently looking to recruit extra staff from within the local community for this professional, yet hands on role. Duties will include acting as a chauffeur / bearer on funerals and cleaning the funeral fleet.
Participation in our 24-hours emergency rota system is essential as is a full driving licence.
Maintaining accurate records as required.
The candidate will require own transport as they will be working mainly from our garages in Chelmsford.
Uniform and training provided.
Please download and complete the application form in the pack below.
Working in the Funeral Service
It is often said that working in the funeral service is a vocation rather than a job, and it is easy to see why. Employees need to demonstrate a variety of skills and acquire a wide range of knowledge, underpinned by a genuine desire to offer as much help, guidance and assistance as is required by those they are called upon to assist.
While the funeral service is by no means an easy career option, it can be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding of all service careers.
The work-environment for funeral service employees can be both physically and emotionally challenging, sometimes stressful and, on occasion, distressing.
Many funeral service staff work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends. They are ‘on call’ and need to be available when their clients need them. Excellence in client care in the funeral service is paramount.
What type of work is available in the funeral service?
Broadly speaking, working in the funeral profession falls into three categories:
- Administration
- Operational
- Conducting
Funeral Administrator / Arranger
The type of work undertaken by a funeral administrator/arranger:
- Provide information over the telephone to the bereaved
- Provide advice on funeral arrangements
- Discuss with relatives of the deceased the style of funeral service, selection of the coffin/casket, funeral cars, flowers, etc, including costs
- Arrange the printing of order of service sheets
- Liaise with doctors, hospitals, clergy or celebrants
- Make arrangements for burial or cremation
- Escort mourners to the chapel of rest
- Assist and support the relatives and friends through the arrangements
- Organises all notices of the death and funeral arrangements in the media.
Funeral assistant / Operative / Driver/bearer
The type of work undertaken by a funeral operative, driver/bearer:
- The removal and transportation of the deceased into the care of the funeral home
- Preparation and presentation of the deceased
- Preparing the coffin
- Ensuring all funeral service vehicles are clean and prepared for each funeral
- Driving the hearse and carrying of the coffin from the hearse into the crematorium, churchyard or other place of rest.
- Assist and support the relatives and friends through the ceremony
- Arrange for the transportation of floral arrangements
Embalmer – a specialist and highly skilled role.
Funeral Conductor
The type of work undertaken by a Funeral Conductor include:
- leading the team on the day of the funeral and overseeing the transport of the coffin
- overseeing the movement of the coffin into place at the crematorium or burial ground
- managing the movement of the family and mourners at the service and committal
- paging the funeral procession from the place the funeral starts and into the place of service and committal.
The Funeral Conductor is who everyone sees on the day of the funeral and therefore their role is key to the experience families and mourners have of the funeral. Very often it is the Funeral Director who will conduct the funeral.