Assistant Bereavement Services Officer, Perth Crematorium - INTERNAL

Main Purpose of the Role

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job, it's about being part of something meaningful. It's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

We currently have the following opportunity:

Assistant Bereavement Services Officer - PKC13603
£31,759 - £34,011
Perth Crematorium

Please note: Only existing employees of Perth & Kinross Council may apply.

We’re looking for someone to support our Bereavement Services team with a range of administrative tasks. The role includes maintaining our records, financial information and IT systems, and being a key point of contact for the public, funeral directors and colleagues on cemetery and crematorium enquiries across Perth and Kinross.

You may also be asked to help with occasional site‑based duties linked to the cremation service.

This post plays an important part in helping the Council meet its legal responsibilities in a sensitive service area. If you’re organised, approachable and able to work with empathy, we’d be pleased to hear from you.

You will play a key part in supporting Bereavement Services by delivering high‑quality, sensitive and efficient administrative support. In this role, you will:

• Provide comprehensive administrative support across Bereavement Services, including booking funerals, cremations and memorials, maintaining burial and cremation records, and updating service systems.
• Keep accurate records of interments, headstones and cemetery layouts, ensuring all processes comply with legislation and internal procedures.
• Prepare and check statutory burial and cremation paperwork, completing all instructions and documentation within strict deadlines.
• Support Bereavement Services Officers with memorial mason registration, public information materials and the ongoing development of administrative processes.
• Maintain filing and archive systems, produce regular statistical information and take minutes at meetings when required.
• Liaise sensitively with bereaved families and funeral directors, providing clear information, guidance and instructions for operational colleagues.
• Undertake ashes dispersals and memorial sales appointments in line with service procedures.

Please note, we are currently unable to offer sponsorship for this post.

Skills & Experience Required

We are looking for someone who:

• Has strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage their own workload and meet tight deadlines.
• Is confident using Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Outlook), with accurate data entry and record‑keeping skills.
• Has experience working in a busy office environment and handling bookings, enquiries and documentation.
• Can deal sensitively and confidentially with bereaved families, handling difficult conversations with empathy.
• Communicates clearly, both in writing and verbally, with a calm and professional telephone manner.
• Shows respect towards colleagues, customers and partners, and understands the importance of equality and dignity at work.
• Works well as part of a team while also using their own initiative and problem‑solving skills.
• Is flexible, positive and willing to take on training, new tasks and changing priorities.
• Has knowledge of burial and cremation processes, or experience in a similar environment (desirable).

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours. Find out more about Perth & Kinross Council and you could soon be joining our team!

Here's what we can offer you:

• A generous annual leave package
• 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Wellbeing Framework
• Flexi time 
• Access to a range of benefits

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you. A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

For purposes of connection and collaboration with colleagues and with the community we serve, our full-time employees work on site for a minimum of 2 days per week with the arrangements for part time employees being agreed on a basis which will ensure that they benefit to an equivalent degree. Our FAQs on hybrid working can be found here Hybrid working FAQs. We are committed to being a more inclusive employer - to ensure we can consider any reasonable adjustments, please either contact the recruiting manager to discuss any individual circumstances, discuss at interview or, if you prefer, after any conditional offer is made.

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Katrina Hartnett, Bereavement Services Team Leader at KHartnett@pkc.gov.uk to find out more.

Click “APPLY NOW”

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 references, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments. Appointments are based on evidence supplied during the selection process.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

To comply with Baseline Personnel Security Standard, you will be required to complete a Disclosure Scotland check.

If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications and fitness to undertake the post.