Funeral Support Specialist (part-time)

About the Role

A Funeral Support Specialist assists with funeral home and cremation day-to-day operations, including physical work and office-related tasks.

Responsibilities

• Safely drives company-owned professional vehicles to perform “first call” removals of deceased from hospitals, nursing homes, residences, or scene locations, transporting them to the funeral home or designated location in accordance with local and state laws and company policies.
• Maintains knowledge of applicable company policies and procedures and ensures compliance at all times.
• Follows processes for chain-of-custody, paperwork, and deceased identification.
• Cooperates with first responders, Medical Examiners, hospital staff, and others, accommodating their processes and procedures.
• Gathers all information related to a passing, enters it into company systems, sends “Release Authorizations” as needed, and dispatches for pick-up.
• For home removals or any removals where family members are present, interacts courteously and professionally with bereaved families, exhibiting sensitivity and following company procedures for required documentation.
• Maintains and ensures removal vehicles are clean inside and out, properly maintained, and fueled.
• Keeps an adequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment and cleaning supplies in removal vehicles.
• Directs phone calls to appropriate team members and answers calls from families, addressing questions or gathering information as needed.
• Greets and assists client families and others entering the building for information or support.
• Maintains a friendly attitude while offering assistance and guidance to all visitors.
• Assists passengers, particularly the handicapped and elderly, in and out of vehicles with patience.
• Assists the Funeral Director in moving casketed deceased and related paraphernalia in and out of visitation areas, chapels, churches, or other service locations.
• Assists with dressing and casketing the deceased and placing them in appropriate cremation containers.
• Drives the hearse or other vehicles in funeral corteges and related activities.
• Performs various tasks during funerals and visitations to ensure services run smoothly.
• Transports deceased to and from the crematory, airports, funeral homes, and other designated locations.
• Runs errands such as floral deliveries, picking up supplies, or documents.
• May transfer and split cremated remains, log them properly, and store them in the cremation cabinet.
• May release cremated remains or personal effects to specified individuals, following chain-of-custody and documentation processes.
• May maintain logs for cremated remains, personal effects, and other inventory.
• May execute and finalize service items, including securing payments, printing/ordering materials, coordinating with vendors, and obtaining signatures.
• Performs other tasks as deemed necessary by management during day-to-day operations.

Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Valid state/province driver’s license with a clean driving record.
• Customer service experience is a plus.
• Funeral service experience is a plus.

Skills

• Professional appearance; suits required when in contact with families, casual attire for maintenance and cleaning tasks.
• Computer knowledge required.
• Ability to follow instructions given over the phone or in person.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively with others.
• Ability to work with kindness and compassion for the deceased and their families.
• Ability to maintain composure in challenging situations.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Comfortable speaking to customers on the phone about sensitive matters.
• Bilingual preferred.
• Ability to lift up to 75 pounds and push/pull up to 200 pounds.

Schedule

• May require working an on-call rotation schedule, including weekends, nights, and holidays.
• Working beyond “standard” hours as needed, including weekends and holidays.

Work Conditions

• Work indoors and outdoors during all seasons and weather conditions.
• Using company vehicles, travel locally and in surrounding communities, occasionally out of state; no overnight travel.
• Frequent, continuous periods of sitting and standing.
• Climbing stairs to access buildings.
• Physical effort requiring manual dexterity.