Funeral Director Apprentice

Funeral Service Associate

Our associates celebrate lives. We celebrate our associates.

Provides customer service in all areas of helping client families following the loss of a loved one. Provides exemplary personalized and professional service. Learns how a Funeral Director implements choices made by the families/legal representative regarding the funeral, final disposition of the body and memorialization of the individual. Interacts with the family to fulfill death care needs. Ensures customer needs are addressed.

Job Responsibilities

• Learns to arrange and conduct funeral and memorial ceremonies in a professional, organized and caring manner consistent with company policies and procedures
• Learns to negotiate and create acceptable funeral contracts
• Handles contracts, legal documents, and collection of monies or insurance in accordance with company policies.
• Ensures client families are informed of special recognition/services available for veterans and ensures the delivery of selected recognition/services.
• Confirms authorization to proceed with the service arrangements
• Verifies identification of the deceased and authorization for embalming
• Learns how to arrange for the interment or cremation of human remains
• Adheres to all company and regulatory requirements
• Cares for the deceased in a respectful manner while performing a variety of tasks which may include:
• Removals and transfers
• Lifting of deceased human remains
• Dressing and casketing
• Coordinating and assisting with funeral service and visitation
• Delivery of flowers, caskets, urn, photos and other personal keepsakes or mementos of client families
• Setting of chairs and the removal, proper care and storage of these items
• Removals and transfers
• Assists with funeral services by:
• Coordinating the parking of cars
• Ushering
• Driving funeral vehicles
• Assisting at chapel and church services
• Assisting at the cemetery
• Delivering flowers, caskets, urn, photos and other personal keepsakes or mementos of client families
• Setting up chairs and the removing, properly caring for and storing of these items
• Participating at special functions
• Provides aftercare in absence of Family Service Counselor. Aftercare includes delivery of:
• Documentation
• Stationery
• Information on insurance, health benefits and pension,
• Pre-arrangements for next of kin
• Ensures potential pre-need referrals are shared with Family Service Counselors
• Completes and accurately prepares of all documents related to services, cremations, maintenance, and any other type of data entry
• Assists with general office duties such as preparing reports as needed
• Assists with the maintenance of vehicles, the facility and property
• Receives caskets and other funeral home supplies as well as place into inventory
• Ensures refreshments are available (where allowed by law)
• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements

Education

• High School diploma or general equivalency degree (or diploma)
• Completion of or currently enrolled in a degree training program at an accredited mortuary college or technical school specializing in funeral service or mortuary science.

Experience

• Typically requires a minimum of 6 months experience in a funeral home, crematory or cemetery

Certification/Licenses

• Must meet all licensing requirement in applicable state/province as required by law as prescribed by each state board
• Valid driver's license

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of computers and some software including MS Office products required
• High level of compassion and integrity
• Good communication skills
• Problem solving skills
• Ability to multi task and set priorities

Work Conditions

Work Environment

• Work indoors and outdoors during all seasons and weather conditions
• Limited amount of local and/or multiple location traveling required
• Professional Dress is required when in contact with families.

Work Postures

• Frequent, continuous periods of time standing, up 6 hours per day
• Sitting continuously for many hours per day, up to 6 hours per day
• Climbing stairs to access buildings frequently

Physical Demands

• Physical effort requiring manual dexterity is required, includes paperwork, calculators, computers and phone usage

Work Hours

• Working beyond "standard" hours as the need arises
• Travel up to 25%