Funeral Arranger

THE SOUTHERN CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED; Havant; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20% colleague discount

Health and dental cash plans

24/7 virtual GP and fitness discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Life insurance and pension

Training and development opportunities

Job summary

The Southern Co-operative is recruiting a Funeral Arranger in Havant. You will listen sensitively to families, guide them through choices, and help create a personal and respectful funeral service. Full training is provided; no previous funeral experience is required.

You will support families from first contact through the funeral and aftercare, manage administrative tasks, and ensure every detail is handled with care. Travel to local sites may be involved; driving licence is desirable.

Qualifications

• Listening with care to understand families’ wishes.
• Clear, sensitive communication with clients and colleagues.
• Strong organisation and attention to detail in a busy funeral home.

Responsibilities

• Support families to arrange meaningful funerals and guide choices.
• Care for the deceased with dignity and respect, including daily checks.
• Support visitors in Reflection Rooms to make moments comfortable.
• Assist families with memorials and aftercare.
• Complete funeral and client administration accurately.
• Manage day-to-day running of the funeral home, with health and safety checks.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external suppliers to finalise details.
• Undertake FCA-regulated training for pre-paid funeral plans.
• Represent Funeralcare at local events and build community relationships.

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Organisational skills

Administrative skills

IT literacy

Resilience

Independent working

Willingness to learn

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Could you support someone through one of the most difficult moments of their life? As a Funeral Arranger, you'll support families with care, compassion and reassurance when they need it most. You'll listen, guide them through their choices and help create a funeral that feels personal and right for their loved one. No previous funeral experience is needed. What matters is your ability to listen, communicate sensitively, stay organised and genuinely care about people. We'll provide full training and support to help you build a rewarding career in funeral services.

What you'll do

Every family is different. Every funeral is personal. And every day in this role brings an opportunity to make a difference. From the first conversation through to the funeral and beyond, you'll build trusted relationships with families and make sure they receive a caring, professional and personal service.

• Support families to arrange meaningful funerals, listening carefully to their wishes and guiding them through the choices available
• Care for the deceased entrusted to us, ensuring they are always treated with dignity and respect, including completing daily checks
• Support families visiting our Reflection Rooms, helping to make these important moments as comfortable and personal as possible
• Help families choose memorials and other ways to remember their loved one, as well as providing ongoing aftercare
• Complete funeral, memorial and client administration accurately and with attention to detail
• Take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the funeral home, including opening and closing, health and safety checks and maintaining high standards
• Work closely with colleagues, internal teams and external suppliers to make sure every detail of a funeral comes together
• Complete FCA-regulated training, enabling you to discuss and arrange pre-paid funeral plans
• Build relationships within your local community and represent Funeralcare at local events and activities, Any offer of employment will also be subject to meeting our pre-employment vetting requirements, in line with the regulatory framework set out by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This includes satisfactory reference checks. Further information will be provided during the recruitment process.

Above all, we're looking for someone who wants to make a genuine difference to families experiencing the loss of someone they love.

You’ll understand that there is no 'one size fits all' approach to saying goodbye. You’ll take the time to understand each family, treating their individual wishes, beliefs and circumstances with care and respect.

You’ll also bring

• Genuine empathy, compassion and understanding
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to have sensitive conversations
• Strong organisational skills and excellent attention to detail
• Good administrative skills
• Confidence using IT, including Microsoft Office
• Resilience and the ability to remain calm and professional during emotionally challenging situations
• The confidence to work independently in a funeral home
• A willingness to learn and develop within the funeral profession

Travel to other funeral homes will be required as part of your role and training. A full UK driving licence is desirable but not essential.

We're an independent Co-op, operating across the south of England running convenience food stores, funeral homes, crematoria, natural/woodland burial grounds and a Starbucks coffee franchise. We're owned by our 300,000+ members, have over 4,000 colleagues and a purpose of working together for the benefit of our communities. We have a commitment to sustainable business and a promise to provide a fair, fresh approach, for all. Become part of the family who are proud to serve local communities and put people first. Our recruitment process INDELS

Benefits

• 20% colleague discount in our retail stores
• Health and dental cash plans
• 24/7 virtual GP and fitness discounts through Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Life insurance and NEST pension
• Financial wellbeing tools
• Cycle-to-work and Electric Vehicle schemes
• Training and development opportunities to help you build your career