Chapel Attendant

Overview

Our Crematoria teams provide an expert service to our local community, making sure that every customer receives the best possible service from us at an emotionally charged time. We build excellent relationships with families, celebrants and funeral directors with the aim of coordinating a tight schedule of funeral services alongside cherished memorials for lost loved ones. Working at our crematoria can be challenging at times yet highly rewarding, in a role where you’ll see the impact of your work in front of you.

This is a fixed term/secondment position until May 2026, working part time 24 hours per week over 3 days, Wednesday to Friday.

The salary advertised will be pro-ratad based on 24 hours a week.

About us

Surrounded by wildlife and nature, we’ve created a place of beauty for families to remember their loved ones as they enjoy our memorial gardens. You’ll be based in the grounds of our Chilterns crematoria, with tranquil views overlooking the beautiful Chiltern Hills or in an equally scenic setting you will work from our sister crematorium at Bierton, Aylesbury, when required.

If that’s not enough reason to join us, you’ll be entitled to a range of benefits from Buckinghamshire Council including a very competitive employer pension contribution; a minimum of 25 days annual leave allowance per year pro rata; and discounts in local shops, restaurants, and gyms.

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

About the role

As our Crematorium Chapel Attendant, you will be one of the very first points of contact for each funeral service. You will be liaising with celebrants, funeral directors, and families to ensure that the highest standard of service is delivered at our Crematoria. You will ensure that any requests that have been made are delivered and that the service runs smoothly and as scheduled. Duties include:

• Attending directly and responsively to the needs of mourners, funeral directors and celebrants responding to requests and enquiries sensitively and diplomatically.
• Preparation of the crematorium chapel, including distributing service sheets, meeting funeral corteges and checking identity documentation and statutory paperwork for the deceased.
• Remaining in attendance throughout cremation services to maintain a safe environment, and tidying the chapel and floral tribute area between services to ensure they are clean and in good order.
• Take responsibility for the preparation of music and webcasting for friends and family who cannot attend in person.
• Receiving coffins into the chapel, including checking the identity of the deceased, and ensuring that coffins are stored securely.
• Assisting at Remembrance Services and Open Days to promote the services provided.
• Assisting with a range of shared routine tasks such as ensuring the Book of Remembrance is correctly displayed, upkeep of the vending machines, conducting tours of the crematory and chapel and maintaining floral tribute areas and flower card stands.
• Working flexibly across Chilterns Crematorium and Bierton Crematorium

Career development is something we take seriously at Buckinghamshire Council; we love nothing more than seeing our colleagues grow with us, with many members of the team progress quickly as they gain more experience and responsibilities within their specialist areas. We’re committed to building an exceptional Crematoria team, utilising our colleagues’ talents, and making the most of what they have to offer. With a strong and supportive team behind you, you’ll be encouraged to develop your skills in areas of interest to you.

About you

You’ll come to us with relevant experience in delivering a high level of customer service. You’ll be confident in using webcast and media systems. Attention to detail and accuracy is key, as you support running a tight schedule of services, always ensuring the highest standards are achieved. You’ll be hard-working and willing to apply yourself, comfortable working in a team or carrying out tasks by yourself. Previous experience in the industry is beneficial though not required, as full training will be provided. You will be a caring and sensitive individual, with the ability to communicate effectively with all different types of people, as you guide them through a particularly difficult and challenging time.

Crematoria Team Manager Marko said: ‘We recognise that working at a crematorium can be daunting, we’ve all been there! As a team, we’re keen to break down barriers and show people the reality of what it’s like to work here. It’s a really rewarding role, where you get to help people at a particularly difficult time in their lives. You’ll need to be a people-person, with good empathy and conflict resolution skills. You’ll be joining a supportive team who have really come together in the last couple of years – there is always room for future development and job prospects not only within our crematoria team but also the wider Council.’

Other information

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/