Funeral Service Crew

Co-op Insurance; Southend-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 11,000 - 17,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff discount

Holiday entitlement

Pension

Employee support

Virtual GP

Eye tests

Career development

Stream pay app

Job summary

The Co-operative Funeralcare in Southend, Essex is seeking a part‑time Funeralcare Operations Assistant working 18.75 hours per week with varied shifts. You will collect the deceased, bear coffins, drive funeral vehicles and help prepare for viewings with professionalism and care.

No prior funeral industry experience is required as full training and ongoing support are provided. You’ll join a friendly, community‑mocused team and benefit from a competitive salary, a strong pension, generous

Qualifications

• Must have a full UK manual driving licence.
• Ability to perform physical tasks including lifting, with training provided.
• Good IT skills and confidence using devices and new systems.
• Ability to respond calmly and compassionately in emotional situations.
• Strong attention to detail and adherence to policies.

Responsibilities

• Collect the deceased from various locations in a professional, empathetic manner.
• Bear coffins on funeral day and drive funeral vehicles.
• Keep equipment and facilities, including vehicles, clean and well‑maintained.
• Prepare coffins, engrave name plates and assist with viewings.
• Prepare the deceased in our care for viewings and the funeral.
• Update client management applications with detailed records daily.
• Lift and move coffins safely using proper techniques and equipment.

Skills

Empathy

Attention to detail

IT skills

Calm under pressure

Job description

Part time 18.75 hours per week, varied shifts between Monday to Friday 8am-8pm - as part of this role, you’ll also be part of the on call rota (including weekends 8am-8pm & night shifts 4:30pm-8am)

You’ll need a full manual UK driver’s licence for this job.

Please note all positions within Funeralcare can involve direct physical contact with the deceased as part of normal duties – the amount of contact will differ dependant on role applied for.

Typical duties include but are not limited to preparation, transportation, and personal care of the deceased to be carried out with professionalism, dignity, respect and adherence to health and safety standards.

Please carefully consider your comfort levels with these responsibilities before applying.

Help families say the perfect goodbye to loved ones as part of our funeral service crew.

You don’t need any previous experience in the funeral industry as we provide full training and ongoing support, plus access to a wide range of benefits including competitive salary, an excellent pension scheme, and discounts on a range of Co‑op products and services.

At the Co‑op, you’ll be part of something meaningful. Join us today.

What you’ll do

• collect the deceased from a range of locations and scenarios in a professional and empathetic manner
• bear coffins on the day of the funeral and drive funeral vehicles
• maintain the cleanliness of equipment and facilities, including vehicles
• prepare coffins and engrave name plates
• prepare the deceased in our care for viewings and the funeral
• maintain client management applications daily, inputting detailed and timely information to keep records consistently updated
• safely lift, carry and move coffins following safe techniques, using handling aids and equipment and following health and safety guidance to prevent injuries

What you’ll bring

• a full UK manual driving licence
• the ability to perform the physical aspects of the role (such as manual lifting). Appropriate training and equipment to ensure safe working practices will be provided.
• good IT skills, with the confidence to use a range of technology devices (e.g computers, tablets, smartphones, printers and scanners) and the ability to learn and effectively use new applications and systems.
• the ability to react calmly and compassionately in emotional circumstances, with a sensitive and empathetic approach to customer service
• strong attention to detail and accuracy, making sure regulatory policies and processes are always adhered to

Why Co‑op?

• 30% off Co‑op branded products and 10% off other brands in our food stores all year-round, as well as discounts on other Co‑op products and services
• 23 days holidays (pro rata, rising with service)
• a pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• access to our Employee Assistance Programme which offers confidential advice and support on anything you’re struggling with, 24 hours a day
• access to virtual GP and free eye tests
• endless career development opportunities including apprenticeships
• friendly, supportive team and the knowledge that you make a huge difference to your community
• access to Stream – a money management app that gives you access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it.

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.

As part of your application you’ll need to complete an online assessment. It will take you around 20 minutes to complete this test.

If you’re successful in your application, we’ll perform some background checks as part of our pre‑employment screening process. These will include a DBS (disclosure and barring service) and adverse media checks, and an occupational health questionnaire (to ensure you are fit to perform the role). We’ll also check your social media activity on platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Any offer of employment made will be conditional upon the completion of pre‑employment screening checks.

We reserve the right to remove a vacancy before the scheduled closing date.

Job Info

• Job Identification 1068703
• Job Category Funeralcare Operations
• Locations The Co‑operative Funeralcare, Southend, Essex, SS2 6JJ, GB