Bereavement Support Officer

We are looking for a confident and self-motivated individual to undertake the role of Bereavement Support Officer within our Assets Team.  Working alongside the cemetery manager to deal with the bereaved and general public in a caring and sensitive manner whether in person, by telephone or in writing.

About the role…

The purpose of the role is to the first point of contact for administrative duties in relation to the Councils bereavement service. 
As a Bereavement Support Officer you will be required to manage your own workload and hold responsibility for maintaining and updating with accuracy, burial records for Mile End and Yew Tree Brake cemeteries.

You will be required to raise invoices in respect of cemetery services to the public, funeral directors and memorial masons. Analyse all memorial applications to ensure that they comply with cemetery regulations.

An essential part of this role is to carry out all duties with compassion and sensitivity. Therefore, experience of working within a ‘caring’ profession and excellent communication skills are key. You will have the ability to combine the technicalities of the job with an empathetic touch, be a team player, with a flexible working approach.

You will need…

• Qualifications equivalent to NVQ level 1 or GCSE in Maths and English
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships
• Natural and engaging style of communication
• Ability to apply good judgment and query issues where appropriate
• Possess strong interpersonal skills such as tact, diplomacy and sensitivity 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in accordance with Data Protection

Special Conditions…

• There may be a requirement to work at other Publica Group (Support) Ltd and/or client locations to meet the needs of the business
• Use of a car for work purposes

Who are we… 

Publica is a unique place to work – we’re a local government organisation with a twist! Publica wants to transform the way local services are delivered. To help do this we have started to fundamentally rethink the way we design our services in the digital era so that Publica is a customer focused organisation driven by real user needs.

What can we do for you… 

• Agile working allowing a mix of home and office working
• Flexible working arrangements (depending on the role)
• 27 days paid annual leave (pro rata if you are working part time) plus bank holidays and an extra two volunteering days off a year for you to support a charity of your choice
• Health cash plan giving you cash back on health, dental and eye care
• Pension scheme with a good employer contribution of 5% of your earnings
• Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, providing positive, preventative and supportive advice and counselling to deal with everyday events and issues
• Cycle to work scheme
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme with huge tax and NI savings to be made on electric cars
• Access to digital financial advice (covering your pension scheme, mortgages and other finances)
• Generous sickness cover above statutory entitlements
• Additional income protection, covering 50% of your salary for potentially a further five years if you are unable to work due to sickness or injury
• Life assurance, currently four times your annual salary

These are just a handful of the benefits that you can enjoy when you join us!

To apply for this position please click on "apply now" within this page to complete an application form and supporting statement together with your CV. Please tell us about your skills, knowledge, qualifications, experience and how they meet the criteria listed above and in the job description/person specification. It’s important that we’re a good fit for each other, so let us know what’s important to you and why you want to work for Publica Group Ltd.  Your CV will not be available to the hiring manager unless you are shortlisted for interview to assist with our non-biased screening process so please ensure you complete the application form in full.

It is important that our staff reflect the diversity of our community, and we therefore welcome and encourage applications from people of all genders and sexual orientation, those from Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic backgrounds, and those with disabilities.

Accredited of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies - Please state this within your covering statement or in a separate email. 

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable adults, young people and children.  Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies

Safer recruitment practices are applied to all job vacancies. Successful candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical questionnaire; provide references;  proof of identity; nationality and immigration status; three years’ employment or education history (if applicable) and, in some cases, verification of criminal record.