Funeral Service Operative

TN United Kingdom; Gosport; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading independent Co-op as a Funeral Service Operative, providing compassionate end-of-life care and support. This physically and emotionally demanding role involves transporting and preparing the deceased, with full training provided. Enjoy benefits like 31 days of annual leave and opportunities for skill development.

Benefits

31 days of annual leave

20% store discount

Share incentive plan

Opportunities for skill development

Qualifications

• Full, clean UK driving license for manual and automatic vehicles.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Flexibility for on-call service.

Responsibilities

• Collecting and transporting the deceased to funeral homes.
• Assisting in dressing and preparing the deceased for viewing.
• Driving vehicles and maintaining them in pristine condition.

Skills

Empathy

Resilience

Manual handling

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity to join our End of Life Services team as a Funeral Service Operative.

The shifts will be worked Monday to Friday, with out-of-hours on an on-call rota basis.

Role Overview: In this role, you’ll deliver compassionate end-of-life care, support, and experience to the deceased and their families. Responsibilities include assisting with the smooth delivery of funerals—collection, transportation, and preparation of the deceased, driving vehicles, and acting as a conductor or bearer during funeral services. This role is physically and emotionally demanding, requiring empathy, resilience, and the ability to work under pressure.

Who We Are Looking For: An individual passionate about building relationships, helping others, and providing excellent service to the bereaved. Previous funeral industry experience is not necessary, as we will provide full training and support your career development.

Requirements:

• A full, clean UK driving license for both manual and automatic vehicles. For insurance purposes, you must be over 25.

What to Expect:

• Collecting the deceased and transporting them to our funeral homes, sometimes from challenging locations.
• Assisting in dressing and preparing the deceased for viewing, including placement into coffins or caskets.
• Driving our vehicles with care and ensuring they are maintained in pristine condition.
• Acting as a bearer at various funeral and removal services.
• Supporting local communities and representing our funeral care services as a trusted ambassador.
• Manual handling involved.
• Demonstrating resilience and the ability to work under pressure.
• High levels of empathy and compassion.
• Flexibility to support our on-call service, including evenings, weekends, overnight, and occasional cover for holidays, sickness, and busy periods.

Benefits:

• 31 days of annual leave (including bank holidays), increasing to 36 days after 10 years.
• 20% store discount.
• Share incentive plan.
• Opportunities for skill development through apprenticeships and in-house training programs.

About Us: We’re an independent Co-op operating across southern England, managing convenience stores, funeral homes, crematoria, woodland burial grounds, and a Starbucks franchise. Owned by our members, with over 4,000 colleagues, we aim to serve our communities sustainably and fairly. Join us to be part of a family committed to community service and putting people first.

Additional Information: Successful applicants will need to undergo a DBS check to ensure compliance with NAFD Funeral Director standards.

Please apply promptly, as we may close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.