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Dignity; Greater London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Annual bonus up to £500

4% matched pension

Life assurance 2x salary

Employee discounts

24/7 EAP

On-site parking

Training & development

Job summary

Dignity Funerals Ltd in Orpington is seeking a compassionate Funeral Service Operative (Level One) to support families during difficult times, delivering respectful and meaningful services. The role involves caring for the deceased, coordinating with Funeral Directors, and handling vehicles.

Training is provided; no prior funeral experience is required. This full-time role includes rotating shifts across London centres, with early, late and out-of-hours coverage, plus a benefits package

Qualifications

• Full UK Driving Licence is essential.
• Demonstrates empathy, professionalism, and composure under pressure.
• Reliable, flexible, and able to work outside standard hours when needed.
• Physically capable of manual handling tasks.
• Comfortable with direct contact with the deceased in varying conditions.

Responsibilities

• Provide dignified and professional care for the deceased.
• Support Funeral Directors in delivering seamless service and ceremonial work.
• Drive and operate specialist vehicles (hearses, limousines, ambulances).
• Maintain high standards of presentation for vehicles and facilities.
• Participate in an out-of-hours on-call rota (nights/weekends).
• Bring the deceased into care from the place of death (homes, hospitals, etc.).
• Prepare the deceased (washing, dressing, presentation).
• Support chapel visits and family interactions with calm and respect.
• Carry out duties involving the deceased with utmost care and professionalism.

Skills

Driving Licence

Empathy & Professionalism

Flexibility

Manual Handling

Contact with Deceased

PC Literate

Out-of-hours availability

Tools

MS Office

Outlook

Job description

Location: Dignity Funerals Ltd, Orpington

Job Type: Full-time, permanent - 40 hours per week

Salary: £31,158.40 per annum

We’re looking for a compassionate and reliable individual to join our team at our Dignity Funerals Ltd branch in Orpingtonas a Funeral Service Operative (Level One). This role offers the opportunity to support families during one of life’s most sensitive moments, playing a key part in delivering respectful and meaningful services that genuinely make a difference.

Why This Role Matters…

At Dignity, we believe that every farewell should be handled with compassion, dignity, and care. Your role will ensure that families feel supported, respected, and reassured throughout the entire way.

Your Impact and Responsibilities…

Being a Funeral Service Operative means playing a central part in one of life’s most significant moments. You’re often the first person a grieving family meets, and your presence can shape how they remember the most difficult of days. This role calls for empathy, confidence, and attention to detail. You are entrusted with the role of taking care of our deceased and ensuring our families' wishes can be met. You conduct yourself with respect & dignity, understanding the privilege it is to undertake the work you do.

Shift Patterns

This role is based on a rotating shift pattern across our London centres, which includes:

4:00 AM – 2:00 PM

2:00 PM – 00.00 AM

Flexibility is essential, as the role will involve out-of-hours support.

As a Funeral Services Operative (Level One), you will:

• Provide dignified and professional care for the deceased
• Support Funeral Directors in delivering seamless service and ceremonial work
• Drive and operate specialist vehicles (including hearses, limousines and private ambulances)
• Maintaining high standards of presentation for vehicles and facilities, and ensuring they are well-maintained
• Participate in an out-of-hours on-call rota (including nights/weekends) to support families - providing out-of-hours support, including dignified collection and transfer of the deceased into care.
• Bring the deceased into our care from the place of death — including private homes, hospitals, hospices, or public spaces — under varying circumstances
• Prepare the deceased (washing, dressing, presentation) in accordance with family, religious, or cultural wishes
• Support with chapel visits and interactions with families in a calm and respectful manner
• Carry out all duties involving the deceased with the utmost care and professionalism

Skills and Knowledge…

We’re looking for someone with/is:

• Holds a Full UK Driving Licence (Essential).
• Demonstrates empathy, professionalism, and composure under pressure.
• Has a respectful, caring approach when supporting both colleagues and families.
• Is physically capable of manual handling tasks, including lifting and carrying.
• Is comfortable working in direct contact with the deceased in a variety of conditions.
• Is reliable, flexible, and able to work outside standard hours when needed.
• Takes pride in presenting themselves in a professional and dignified manner.
• PC Literate – Able to use a range of IT systems, including Microsoft Office, Outlook and internal databases (training provided).

No previous funeral experience is necessary; complete training, uniform, and support will be provided.

What you can expect from us

We believe in rewarding our colleagues with a strong, supportive benefits package that helps you feel secure, valued and able to grow.

Time to recharge – Up to 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with service) plus bank holidays, giving you the time you need to rest and reset.

A little extra reward – Opportunity to earn a yearly bonus of up to £300–£500 in recognition of your contribution.

Planning for your future – 4% matched pension to help you build long-term financial security.

Peace of mind – Life assurance cover at 2x your salary to support your loved ones.

Everyday savings and perks

– Access to MyStaffShop, our employee rewards platform, offering savings across high street and online retailers, alongside eyecare support, flu jab reimbursement and lifestyle discounts.

Support when you need it – Access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, occupational health services and confidential counselling.

Learn and grow with us – Ongoing training and development, including internal learning pathways and apprenticeship opportunities.

Making work easier – Free on-site parking available at most of our locations.

Why Dignity

Dignity exists to help every family in Britain navigate the hardest moments of life with simplicity, dignity, kindness and exceptional care. Every day, our funeral teams across the country help families say goodbye to the people they love. It’s a responsibility we take seriously, and it matters.

Dignity is changing for the better. We’re investing in better training, better support and better tools for our funeral teams, so you can focus on what matters most: being there for families when they need us.

You’ll be part of a close-knit team who look out for each other and take real pride in their work. No two days are the same, and the work you do is noticed and valued.

If you want a job that is genuinely meaningful, helping families across Britain through one of the hardest times in their lives, this is a good place to build a career.

FCA Statement

Dignity is part of a group that includes FCA-regulated activities, and some roles may be subject to relevant training, screening, conduct, and regulatory requirements. This will be confirmed as part of the recruitment process.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We know that diverse teams make better decisions, build better products, and create a more inclusive and better place to work. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, and whatever your life looks like, we’d love to hear from you. And if there’s anything you need to make the process more accessible, please let us know.

Any unsolicited submissions from agencies will be accepted as a direct application from the candidate, and no fees will be payable.

We reserve the right, depending on the number of applications received, to close or extend the closing dates for positions; therefore, we recommend submitting your application early.