Bereavement Officer
| Posting date: | 15 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £26,403 to £28,142 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 30 January 2026 |
| Location: | Bedford, Bedfordshire |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Bedford Borough Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: |
Summary
We are looking for an experienced, self motivated, organised and proactive individual to work as part of the Bereavement Service team, to provide a compassionate and efficient Bereavement Service in a professional manner.
The ideal candidate should have experience in the following;
Maintaining accurate cemetery and crematorium records.
Recording bookings for burials and cremations, administering paperwork for the successful completion of all cemetery and crematorium processes and memorial purchases.
Using database system to record and retrieve information, in addition to other basic office packages such as Outlook, Word and Excel.
Identifying and assisting in the location of grave plots to cemetery stakeholders or in preparation of upcoming burials.
Processing payments and maintaining financial records.
Experience in headstone safety testing would be an advantage.
Experience of operating a chapel for funeral services including the music system and visual tributes would be ideal but full training will be given.
Daily duties will include, but are not limited to the following;
To undertake routine clerical tasks such as filing, photocopying, receiving and dispatching mail, answering phones and responding to emails.
To take bookings from funeral directors ensuring all relevant paperwork is completed to the specified standards.
Undertaking transfers of grave ownership and associated paperwork as required.
The successful candidate will obtain excellent written and verbal communication skills.
How to Apply
When you are ready to apply, click on ‘Apply for Vacancy’; you will be asked to upload a CV and answer some application questions. The application questions require a yes/no response. Please make sure your CV shows how you meet the requirements for the role you are applying for, the job profile below will show the essential selection criteria. An optional CV template is provided below.
Closing Date: 30th January 2026
Interview Date(s): 9th & 11th February 2026
Please note:
The Council will not normally re-employ ex-employees in receipt of:
· a severance payment (within 12 months of leaving)
· a local government pension (applies to Senior Officers only)
unless the appointment is business critical
For further information, please email recruitment.team@bedford.gov.uk
Guaranteed Interview Schemes
Bedford Borough Council is proud to be a member of the Armed Forces Covenant and the Care Leavers Covenant, we pledge to interview any eligible job applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the job they are applying for. Bedford Borough Council is also a Level 2 Disability Confident employer and guarantees to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the role they are applying for.
Visa Sponsorship
Bedford Borough Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
The ideal candidate should have experience in the following;
Maintaining accurate cemetery and crematorium records.
Recording bookings for burials and cremations, administering paperwork for the successful completion of all cemetery and crematorium processes and memorial purchases.
Using database system to record and retrieve information, in addition to other basic office packages such as Outlook, Word and Excel.
Identifying and assisting in the location of grave plots to cemetery stakeholders or in preparation of upcoming burials.
Processing payments and maintaining financial records.
Experience in headstone safety testing would be an advantage.
Experience of operating a chapel for funeral services including the music system and visual tributes would be ideal but full training will be given.
Daily duties will include, but are not limited to the following;
To undertake routine clerical tasks such as filing, photocopying, receiving and dispatching mail, answering phones and responding to emails.
To take bookings from funeral directors ensuring all relevant paperwork is completed to the specified standards.
Undertaking transfers of grave ownership and associated paperwork as required.
The successful candidate will obtain excellent written and verbal communication skills.
How to Apply
When you are ready to apply, click on ‘Apply for Vacancy’; you will be asked to upload a CV and answer some application questions. The application questions require a yes/no response. Please make sure your CV shows how you meet the requirements for the role you are applying for, the job profile below will show the essential selection criteria. An optional CV template is provided below.
Closing Date: 30th January 2026
Interview Date(s): 9th & 11th February 2026
Please note:
The Council will not normally re-employ ex-employees in receipt of:
· a severance payment (within 12 months of leaving)
· a local government pension (applies to Senior Officers only)
unless the appointment is business critical
For further information, please email recruitment.team@bedford.gov.uk
Guaranteed Interview Schemes
Bedford Borough Council is proud to be a member of the Armed Forces Covenant and the Care Leavers Covenant, we pledge to interview any eligible job applicant who meets the minimum criteria for the job they are applying for. Bedford Borough Council is also a Level 2 Disability Confident employer and guarantees to interview anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the role they are applying for.
Visa Sponsorship
Bedford Borough Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.