Bereavement Services Officer
Posting date: | 30 July 2024 |
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Salary: | £24,673 to £26,416 per year, pro rata |
Hours: | Part time |
Closing date: | 11 August 2024 |
Location: | Maidstone, Kent |
Remote working: | On-site only |
Company: | Maidstone Borough Council |
Job type: | Permanent |
Job reference: |
Summary
Vinters Park Crematorium & Maidstone Cemetery are currently offering a part-time opportunity for those who would like to try something different.
We deliver in excess of 1800 cremations a year, approximately 130 burials, and offer memorials for families to remember their loved ones in our Gardens of Remembrance. This is a £1.1m business. The postholder will undertake a range of duties within this service, which can include undertaking witness scatterings, or burials where a prayer or poem may need to be read, or Chapel duties, working with the Funeral Director to ensure services run smoothly. This role will specifically learn about Cemetery administration, but will cross over into other areas.
We deliver a first-class service to families that are going through a very difficult time, we need to recruit the right person to enable us to continue to do this. Although Bereavement may sound sad to some, this is a truly lovely environment to work in, very rewarding and very worthwhile. This role is office based and hours need to fit within opening hours which is 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
This is a part-time position working 25 hours per week (Monday to Friday), on a permanent contract.
About Maidstone Borough Council
Maidstone Borough Council is a confident organisation with ambition and aspirations to deliver high quality services to our residents and local businesses. We strive to make the borough an attractive place for all and secure a successful economy. We continue to build on our strengths - assets, knowledge and expertise and our track record for innovation and improvement to create a financially sustainable future so that we can continue with our undiminished plans.
We will only achieve the results we are aiming for through the talents and hard work of all our people. You are encouraged to become part of our vision and in return you can expect support, training, and fair reward from us. We will give you the opportunity to develop the skills to do your job well and create a positive working environment where your ideas about improving how we do things are valued and we manage the changes needed for new ways of working well.
At Maidstone Borough Council we recognise the importance of flexible working and the benefits this can bring to both our staff and the Council. We know that by offering employees a range of flexible working opportunities we can positively impact their wellbeing and engagement, and drive productivity in return. As such we have developed a highly flexible hybrid working policy, alongside our flexi time and flexible working policies, enabling staff to shape their working patterns around building a greater work life balance.
Our Offer:
A range of benefits including:
• Highly flexible hybrid working opportunities.
• 7am to 7pm flexi time to suit personal circumstances for most roles.
• Generous holiday entitlement which increases after 5 years LG service plus bank holidays with the option to buy additional leave.
• Additional 3 days leave given to enable a close down of the offices between Christmas and New year.
• Free parking
• Range of flexible working opportunities to accommodate people’s home/work life balance including compressed hours, 9-day fortnight, part time.
• Invitations to staff events to celebrate success and support wellbeing that include holistic therapies and outdoor activities
• Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential & independent information and access to counsellors
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) with valuable life cover and financial protection for your family.
• Life Assurance – three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• Season Ticket Loan - to help with the cost of your rail/ bus journey, to & from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand-new car. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
• Annual flu vaccine
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff benefits discounts on leisure, eating out, holidays and shopping
• Excellent learning and career opportunities for committed individuals
• A professional fee payment, if required for the role
About You:
The ideal candidate will have an empathetic attitude and be able to converse and deal with members of the public, Clergy, Funeral Directors and associated staff in a sensitive manner. They will also be able to work well as part of a team.
The ability to be methodical and follow rigorous set procedures relating to cremation and burial procedures is essential. Pride in your work and a high standard of accuracy and flexibility is required. Attention to detail and understanding that the service only works if we all play our part in ensuring a successful outcome.
Selection Process:
Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect job specific interview assessment, followed by an interview.
The Council considers this to be a customer focused role and the ability to converse at ease with customers adapting communication style to suit differing audiences and provide advice in accurate spoken English is fundamental to the role.
Maidstone Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employee and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to discuss this position please contact Hannah Banfield, Bereavement Services Operational Manager on (01622) 602941.
Job Description and Person Specification: https://docs.maidstone.gov.uk/jobs/Bereavement-Services-Officer-MBC-JDPS-Jul24.pdf
Interview date: w/c 19th August 2024
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme