Trainee Funeral Director

Dignity Funerals Limited; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading funeral service provider in Abingdon is seeking a compassionate Trainee Funeral Director to assist families during difficult times. In this role, you will learn to oversee funeral operations while supporting families. The ideal candidate should be calm under pressure, willing to learn about funeral processes, and able to work flexibly, including weekends. This is an excellent opportunity for those interested in a rewarding career in end-of-life care, with professional development and support offered.

Benefits

Professional development

Bonus potential

Life assurance cover

Health & wellbeing programme

Generous holiday allowance

Contributory pension scheme

Qualifications

• Willingness to learn about funeral processes and care of the deceased.
• Demonstrate deep respect for individuals' cultural and religious beliefs.
• Support families with clarity and compassion.

Responsibilities

• Assist families during emotional times and help them feel informed.
• Guide families through their options with care.
• Shadow and support Funeral Directors in leading services.

Skills

Compassionate

Excellent communication

Leadership skills

Organisational skills

Calm under pressure

Physically capable of manual handling

Flexible work schedule

Education

Full UK Driving Licence

Job description

Position : Funeral Director

Location :

Oliver and James Funeral Directors, Abingdon

Job Type :

Full-time, permanent - 38.33 Hours per week

Salary :

£27,000 per annum plus on-call payments

We're looking for a compassionate and motivated individual to join our team as a Trainee Funeral Director at Oliver and James Funeral Directors. In this role, you'll learn how to oversee funeral operations and support families through one of life's most challenging moments. You'll work closely with experienced colleagues, gaining hands‑on experience and developing the skills needed to deliver every service to the highest standard.

As a representative of both the local brand and the wider Dignity Group, you'll also play an important part in engaging with the local community and building trusted relationships.

Why This Role Matters

This position is the first step toward becoming a Funeral Director. It requires a willingness to learn about funeral processes, care of the deceased, and legal and regulatory requirements, while showing deep respect for individuals' cultural and religious beliefs. You'll support the team with care and professionalism, taking accountability for your development and contributing to exceptional service delivery.

Your Impact and Responsibilities

As a Trainee Funeral Director, you'll be a calm, reassuring presence at the heart of our funeral care. You'll assist families through an emotional time, helping them feel informed, respected, and cared for.

From the first meeting to the day of the funeral and beyond, you'll learn how to guide families through their options with clarity and compassion, supporting aftercare, ashes, memorialisation, and funeral plans.

As a Funeral Director, you will

• Shadow and support Funeral Directors in leading funeral services with professionalism and attention to detail
• Assist with pre‑funeral briefings and coordination
• Offer a consultative approach – helping families explore available options and understand what's possible
• Collaborate with arrangers, specialists, FDs and care teams
• Support the team in managing the diary, resources and records
• Assist with coffin preparation, handling of the deceased and chapel duties where required
• Provide leadership and mentoring to less experienced team members, sharing learning and taking part in training and development
• Support with local community engagement and promotion of the brand you represent – build relationships with care homes, celebrants and local religious and ethnic groups
• Act as a liaison with service and client delivery to ensure seamless scheduling and service coordination

Skills and Knowledge

• Compassionate, respectful, and eager to learn
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organisational skills
• Calm under pressure with a respectful, compassionate approach to service
• Physically capable of manual handling tasks, including coffin bearing
• Able to work flexibly, including weekends and on‑call
• A Full UK Driving Licence (essential)

What We Offer

• Professional development : A comprehensive induction plan and the opportunity to complete in‑house development programmes to set you up for success or to pursue a qualification through our apprenticeship programme.
• Bonus Potential : Unlock the possibility of earning additional bonuses, rewarding your hard work and achievements.
• Life Assurance Cover : Enjoy peace of mind with our life assurance cover, securing your family's future.
• Health & Wellbeing Programme : Benefit from an employee assistance programme that supports your health and wellbeing.
• Holiday Allowance : Start with a generous leave entitlement of 30‑33 days per year, inclusive of Bank Holidays.
• Pension Scheme : Plan for the future with our contributory pension scheme, helping you save for a secure retirement.

Next Steps

If this sounds like the next step in your career and you're ready to support families and lead with professionalism, hit the 'apply' button. A member of our Talent Acquisition Team will be in touch to guide you through the next steps.

About Us

We are Dignity, one of the UK's oldest and most trusted funeral providers, with over 200 years of history, 570 branches, and 46 crematoria across the country. From launching the UK's first funeral plan to helping shape modern regulation, we have led the way in supporting families with care, compassion, and professionalism.

We are now building the UK's leading end‑of‑life company. As part of the Dignity Group, we also operate Farewill, the country's most prominent will writer and one of the UK's top probate providers, giving families support not just at the funeral, but before and after as well.

Today, we are over 4,000 people across the UK, all driven by the same goal : to care for families with compassion and make the UK a world leader in end‑of‑life care. Here to help, whenever you need.

FCA Statement

The FCA regulates us so that some roles may be subject to background checks.

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.

Agency Policy

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

Closing Policy

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.