Cemetery Worker

Cemetery Worker (ID:4577)

Working Hours: 35 Hours per week

Contract Type: Full-Time, Permanent (x2)

Additional Payments: 6.7% Flexibility Payment (x1)

Closing Date: 14 November 2024

Interview Method: In Person (Face to Face)

This role is subject to -

Medical Clearance - Pre-placement health assessment (PPHA)

Driving Licence – The successful candidate should hold a full clean driving licence as you will be required to drive a vehicle adhering to council regulations.

Bereavement Services deliver in the region of 3,000 burial and cremation services each year in the Councils five cemeteries and one crematorium.  The Cemetery Worker role sits within the Infrastructure Team which provides cemetery & crematorium management and delivery of the burial and cremation services and grounds maintenance function for five cemeteries within Bereavement Services.   

The Cemetery Worker role covers all duties relating to burials, cremations, grounds maintenance, horticulture and memorial safety testing, across a number of sites.  Cemetery Workers are expected to undertake all duties as required by the service, and will be expected to work as required at any of these sites:

• Blackley Cemetery & Crematorium
• Philips Park Cemetery 
• Gorton Cemetery 
• Manchester General Cemetery  
• Southern Cemetery 

The role holder will be required to understand and keep up to date with Council policies, and legislation and procedures that are specific to the role, and to undertake necessary training and development regularly to ensure they are compliant.  The role holder will also be expected to support the training and development of new staff. 

Cemetery Workers will support service delivery in relation to the following tasks, ensuring duties are carried out in the most efficient way, and that the service is delivered and maintained to a high standard: 

• preparing graves for burials and supporting burial services
• operating cremators and carrying out the full cremation process 
• carrying out a variety of grounds maintenance and horticultural duties  
• providing front of house crematorium chapel duties 
• undertaking tasks relating to memorial safety testing 

The post holder will provide a sensitive, professional and tactful service to a range of customers which will include funeral directors and bereaved families, and should be able to communicate with sympathy, sensitivity, tact and professionalism.   

The role requires the post holder to drive fleet vehicles and operate drive on and manual equipment and machinery such as diggers, mowers and power tools.  The role holder will be required to hold a clean driving license. 

The infrastructure team is required to work alongside other teams across all cemeteries and the crematorium, to coordinate and communicate tasks ensuring smooth and efficient delivery of the service.  Strong teamwork and communication skills are essential, as is the ability to work proactively and use initiative and quick thinking to resolve problems.   

Bereavement Services actively participates in community engagement, working with community groups and Friends groups who play a key role in the delivery of the service, in line with the Our Manchester Strategy.  The role holder will be required to be proactive in encouraging schemes to minimise carbon, support community and Friends involvement and increase biodiversity. 

This is primarily an outdoor based role, with significant physical demands working in extreme outdoor conditions.   

About the Candidate

The role holder will act as a member of a large team and contribute to the delivery of burial, cremation, memorial, grounds maintenance and other infrastructure functions within the Council’s cemeteries.  

The role holder will deliver a range of flexible, planned and responsive operational services for the bereaved, visitors and other stakeholders. 

The role holder will provide high quality, customer focused, flexible and timely operational services within the Council’s cemeteries. 

By clicking ‘apply’ you will be taken to our careers page, where you will see further details and can complete your application.