Funeral Service Operative Apprentice in Dumfries

We're looking for a compassionate and reliable individual to join our team at our John Pagan & Son Funeral Directors in Dumfries as a Funeral Service Operative (Level One). This role offers the opportunity to support families during one of life's most sensitive moments, playing a key part in delivering respectful and meaningful services that genuinely make a difference.

Your role will ensure that families feel supported, respected, and reassured throughout the entire way. Being a Funeral Service Operative means playing a central part in one of life's most significant moments. As a Funeral Services Operative (Level One), you will:

• Support Funeral Directors in delivering seamless service and ceremonial work
• Drive and operate specialist vehicles (including hearses, limousines and private ambulances)
• Maintain high standards of presentation for vehicles and facilities, ensuring they are well-maintained
• Participate in an out-of-hours on-call rota (including nights/weekends) to support families - providing out-of-hours support, including dignified collection and transfer of the deceased into care
• Bring the deceased into our care from the place of death - including private homes, hospitals, hospices, or public spaces - under varying circumstances
• Prepare the deceased (washing, dressing, presentation) in accordance with family, religious, or cultural wishes
• Support with chapel visits and interactions with families in a calm and respectful manner
• Have a respectful, caring approach when supporting both colleagues and families
• Be physically capable of manual handling tasks, including lifting and carrying
• Be reliable, flexible, and able to work outside standard hours when needed
• Hold a Full UK Driving Licence (essential)

No previous funeral experience is necessary; complete training, uniform, and support will be provided.

We believe in rewarding our colleagues with a strong, supportive benefits package that helps you feel secure, valued and able to grow:

• Up to 25 days annual leave, increasing with service, plus bank holidays
• Company bonus scheme (Up to £500 annually)
• 4% Matched Pension Contribution with opt-in options from day 1
• Life assurance (2X salary)
• Access to MyStaffShop, our employee rewards platform, offering savings across high street and online retailers
• Employee Assistance Programme providing 24/7 confidential support, counselling, wellbeing resources and access to a 24/7 virtual GP service
• Training and development opportunities, including internal learning and apprenticeship schemes
• Free on-site parking available at most locations
• Discounted funeral arrangements for colleagues and immediate family members
• Access to occupational health services and wellbeing support, including health assessments and medical MOTs
• Company-funded eye care support, including contributions towards eye tests and glasses
• Critical incident and trauma counselling support
• Long-term service recognition awards

To join us in this role, hit the 'apply' button to submit your application, and a member of our Talent Acquisition Team will be in touch!

We are Dignity, one of the UK's oldest and most trusted funeral providers, with over 200 years of history, 570 branches, and 46 crematoria across the country. From launching the UK's first funeral plan to helping shape modern regulation, we have led the way in supporting families with care, compassion, and professionalism.

We are now building the UK's leading end-of-life company. As part of the Dignity Group, we also operate Farewill, the country's most prominent will writer and one of the UK's top probate providers, giving families support not just at the funeral, but before and after as well.

Today, we are over 4,000 people across the UK, all driven by the same goal: to care for families with compassion and make the UK a world leader in end-of-life care. Here to help, whenever you need.