Job Introduction
Worcester City Council is looking for a practical, motivated and focused Bereavement Operative to help care for the city’s cemeteries and provide a burial service.
This is an important outdoor role supporting the delivery of burials and cemetery grounds. You will help keep our cemetery sites safe, accessible and well managed for residents and visitors.
The role will suit someone who enjoys hands on outdoor work in all seasons, can respond flexibly to weather related issues, and confident working in a sensitive environment where visitors will be grieving loved ones.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
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Carry out burials both by hand and with machinery. To carry out ground’s maintenance across two cemeteries.
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Undertake seasonal vegetation management, including mowing, strimming, path clearance, hedge cutting, shrub maintenance and planting.
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To be precise and careful when carrying grounds maintenance to avoid damage or interference with people’s graves and memorials.
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Support urgent make safe and access clearance works following high winds, storms or other weather events, within training and safe working procedures.
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Carry out routine site inspections, recording defects, completed works and follow up actions.
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Undertake litter picking, bin area checks, fly-tip reporting and general site presentation work.
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Operate tools, machinery and specialist equipment safely including digger, strimmers, brushcutters, blowers, mowers, ride on mowers, cut-and-collect equipment and other grounds maintenance equipment where trained and authorised.
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Prepared to do heavy work hand digging in graves, following best practice in regard to safety and using shoring following procedures to industry standards.
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Work with colleagues, volunteers and community groups when and where asked.
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Respond professionally to public enquiries, site issues and reactive work requests while working in public facing environments.
About You
We are looking for someone with a strong interest in grounds maintenance who wants to provide a professional and caring service for bereaved families. You will be practical, reliable and safety conscious, with the ability to work outdoors throughout the year and adapt to changing priorities.
You will need to be comfortable working on your own and as part of a team, following work instructions, using tools and machinery safely, and communicating clearly with colleagues, volunteers and members of the public. Sometimes you will be working to complete works by set times and be asked to work flexibly to support bereaved families and friends.
Essential Requirements
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Practical experience or demonstrable interest in cemeteries, grounds maintenance or a related outdoor environment.
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Good awareness of health and safety requirements when working outdoors, using tools and operating in public spaces.
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Ability to undertake physically demanding work in a range of weather and ground conditions.
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Ability to identify and report site hazards, defects and tree related safety concerns.
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Experience using hand tools and powered outdoor equipment, or willingness to undertake relevant training.
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Good communication skills and a positive approach to working with colleagues, volunteers, community groups and the public.
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Ability to keep basic records of inspections, defects, work completed and follow-up actions.
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Full UK driving licence, or ability to travel efficiently between sites across Worcester.
Desirable Skills and Qualifications
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Relevant qualification from the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management or equivalent.
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NPTC, LANTRA or equivalent certification for digger, brush cutter, pesticide application, tractor, ride-on mower, trailer towing or other relevant machinery.
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Experience of grounds maintenance.
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First aid qualification.
What You Will Be Working On
Typical work will include delivering a schedule of digging full graves and cremated remains. Alongside this you will be carrying out a programme of grounds maintenance to include grass cutting, litter picking, memorial installations, shrub bed maintenance, hedge cutting and path clearance.
The work programme will remain flexible to reflect burial commitments, weather conditions, ground conditions, nesting season constraints, public safety priorities, staffing and reactive call-outs.
Why Join Worcester City Council?
This is an opportunity to make a visible difference to Worcester’s cemeteries, helping to a provide a very important service to for bereavement families and friends.
Worcester City Council is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from people who share our commitment to public service, environmental care and inclusive access to open spaces.
We welcome applications from all sections of the community. We would like to help you shine during this process. If you need any assistance with applying please contact the Recruitment team on [email protected]. We can assist with alternative formats for your application or offer a MS Teams interview for example.
For further information about the role, please contact Warwick Neale, Bereavement and Greenspaces Manager, at [email protected]
Closing Date: 23rd August 2026
Interview date: 11th September 2026
