Manchester City Council
Cemetery Worker
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Working Hours: 35 Hours Per Week 08:00am - 16:00PM with weekend working and a rota.
Contract Type: Full-Timee, Permanent
Additional Payments: 6.7% Flexibility payment
Closing Date: 20 July 2026
Closing time: 11.59pm
Interview Method: Face to Face
Legal Right to Work: In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action
This role is subject to -
- 2 References - where possible we require 3 years' history.
- Driving Licence - The successful candidate must always hold a full valid driving licence as you will be required to drive a vehicle adhering to council regulations.
- Medical Clearance - Pre-placement health assessment (PPHA)
Bereavement Services deliver in the region of 3,000 burial and cremation services each year in the Councils five cemeteries and one crematorium. The Cemetery Worker role sits within the Infrastructure Team which provides cemetery & crematorium management and delivery of the burial and cremation services and grounds maintenance function for five cemeteries within Bereavement Services.
The Cemetery Worker Role Covers All Duties Relating To Burials, Cremations, Grounds Maintenance, Horticulture And Memorial Safety Testing, Across a Number Of Sites. Cemetery Workers Are Expected To Undertake All Duties As Required By The Service, And Will Be Expected To Work As Required At Any Of These Sites:
- Blackley Cemetery & Crematorium
- Philips Park Cemetery
- Gorton Cemetery
- Manchester General Cemetery
- Southern Cemetery
The role holder will be required to understand and keep up to date with Council policies, and legislation and procedures that are specific to the role, and to undertake necessary training and development regularly to ensure they are compliant. The role holder will also be expected to support the training and development of new staff.
Cemetery Workers Will Support Service Delivery In Relation To The Following Tasks, Ensuring Duties Are Carried Out In The Most Efficient Way, And That The Service Is Delivered And Maintained To a High Standard:
- preparing graves for burials and supporting burial services
- operating cremators and carrying out the full cremation process
- carrying out a variety of grounds maintenance and horticultural duties
- providing front of house crematorium chapel duties
- undertaking tasks relating to memorial safety testing
The post holder will provide a sensitive, professional and tactful service to a range of customers which will include funeral directors and bereaved families, and should be able to communicate with sympathy, sensitivity, tact and professionalism.
The role requires the post holder to drive fleet vehicles and operate drive on and manual equipment and machinery such as diggers, mowers and power tools. The role holder will be required to hold a clean driving license.
The Infrastructure team is required to work alongside other teams across all cemeteries and the crematorium, to coordinate and communicate tasks ensuring smooth and efficient delivery of the service. Strong team work and communication skills are essential, as is the ability to work proactively and use initiative and quick thinking to resolve problems.
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Bereavement Services actively participates in community engagement, working with community groups and Friends groups who play a key role in the delivery of the service, in line with the Our Manchester Strategy. The role holder will be required to be proactive in encouraging schemes to minimise carbon, support community and Friends involvement and increase biodiversity.
This is primarily an outdoor based role, with significant physical demands working in extreme outdoor conditions.
Key Role Descriptors
The role holder will act as a member of a large team and contribute to the delivery of burial, cremation, memorial, grounds maintenance and other infrastructure functions within the Council’s cemeteries.
The role holder will deliver a range of flexible, planned and responsive operational services for the bereaved, visitors and other stakeholders.
The role holder will provide high quality, customer focused, flexible and timely operational services within the Council’s cemeteries.
Key Role Accountabilities:
- Effectively and efficiently deliver a wide range of operational and environmental duties in relation to the delivery of burial and cremation services. Duties include: grave digging, cremator operation, grounds maintenance, horticulture and memorial safety functions, all carried out to agreed standards and performance management targets.
- Use a range of mechanical equipment and tools to undertake duties, ensuring that they are operated and used in a safe and appropriate manner, including the cemetery cremators ensuring all legislation in relation to emissions is adhered to.
- Ensure that any vehicles or mechanical equipment used is checked on a daily basis, kept clean and any defects reported.
- Work effectively with colleagues and key stakeholders including Funeral Directors and bereaved families, to develop and maintain effective relationships that will support the delivery of a customer focused seamless service.
- Assist with the training and development of team members to ensure that staff are equipped to carry out their work to the highest standards in a safe and efficient manner.
- Deal effectively with requests for service within designated timescales, respond to all queries in an efficient and courteous manner, using sensitive and responsive skills to deal with problems or questions appropriately.
- Apply a range of knowledge, technical expertise and skills to safeguard visitors and stakeholders.
- Actively participate in community engagement, working with community groups so they play a key role in the delivery of the service. Support projects with work placement opportunities to develop the skills of residents.
- Undertake duties in a safe and responsible manner, in accordance with established Health and Safety requirements, legislation and City Council policies, practices and procedures.
- Effectively complete basic work related documentation and interpret plans and instructions.
- Personal commitment to continuous self development and service improvement.
We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities.
Working for Manchester isn’t just a job - it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.
Our Manchester Is Our Vision For a Fairer, Greener, And Healthier City - a Vision Shaped By The People Of Manchester. It Guides Everything We Do At The Council And Is Brought To Life Through The Our Manchester Behaviours:
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- We take time to listen and understand
- We work together and trust each other
- We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
- We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
- We’re proud and passionate about Manchester
Benefits We Offer
- Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
- A buzzing pension - You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
- Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events.
- Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
- Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
- A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
- Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.
Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council
At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.
Support During the Process
- Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
- Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.
Guaranteed Assessment Scheme
We Guarantee Assessments For Applicants Who Meet The Recruiting Panels Minimum Shortlisting Requirements For The Role And Identify With At Least One Of The Criteria Below:
- Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
- Current or former care leavers
- Have a disability or long-term condition
- If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme or any MCC positive action programme
If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the Supporting Statement section of your application.
When You Join Us
We’re a Disability Confident Employer, Offering:
- A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to
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