Cemeteries Manager

This job posting is open to both internal and external applicants.

Salary range: £68,571 - £72,294 per annum inclusive of London weighting

Contract: Fixed term (7 months) - Maternity Cover

Hours of work: 36 hours per week

Location: Civic Centre and other locations from time to time

Shape the future of burial services in Brent

Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in the country, with communities, ideas and experiences from across the world helping to shape who we are. Working here means joining a council that is focused on fairness, open to new thinking and committed to improving life for local people.

Our values shape how we work and what people can expect from us. We collaborate proactively, lead inclusively, embrace change, are bold and curious, and celebrate and share our success. For people who care about public service and want their work to matter, Brent offers the chance to make a meaningful difference.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Service Manager to lead the delivery and future development of Brent's Bereavement Service.

Reporting to the Head of Registration and Bereavement Services, you will lead operations across the borough's cemeteries, ensuring high standards of service delivery, health and safety, grounds maintenance, memorial safety and customer care. You will oversee a diverse operational team, manage contractors and budgets, and ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and best practice.

This role comes at a particularly exciting time for the service. The Council is aiming to develop a new Bereavement Strategy, investing in service improvement and transformation, and implementing a new leadership structure designed to strengthen operational delivery and management capacity. As Cemeteries Manager, you will play a key role in shaping these developments, supporting new Team Leaders, driving performance and helping to influence the future direction of bereavement services in Brent.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the day-to-day management of Brent's cemeteries and burial operations
• Manage and develop a multi-disciplinary operational team, promoting high performance and continuous improvement
• Ensure compliance with legislation, health and safety requirements and industry best practice
• Support service transformation, improvement projects and implementation of the council's Bereavement Strategy

This fixed-term maternity cover opportunity offers the chance to make a genuine impact in a highly visible service that supports residents at some of the most difficult times in their lives.

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Has substantial experience managing cemetery, bereavement, grounds maintenance, or other frontline operational services
• Has a strong understanding of burial legislation, cemetery management and memorial safety requirements
• Can lead, motivate and develop operational teams to delivery high-quality services
• Has experience managing budgets, contractors and service performance within a complex organisation
• Can drive improvement, challenge existing ways of working and support service transformation
• Has excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively with residents, elected members, contractors and partner organisations
• Understands the importance of providing sensitive, inclusive and culturally responsive services
• Is organised, resilient and able to balance strategic priorities with day-to-day operational demands

Why join us?

We know people do their best work when they feel valued, supported and able to grow. At Brent, you will benefit from:

• 27 days' annual leave, rising with length of service, plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions
• Hybrid and flexible working options available for most roles
• Supportive family-friendly policies, including carers' leave, paternity leave and compassionate leave for eligible employees
• Health and wellbeing support, including eye test support and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Financial wellbeing support, including education sessions, childcare deposit loans and season ticket loans
• Travel support, including affordable parking nearby, a Cycle to Work scheme and onsite facilities
• Learning and development opportunities to support your career
• Access to My Brent Rewards with exclusive discounts on shopping, travel, leisure and entertainment

To learn more about our staff benefits, visit Our offer to you.

Closing date: Thursday 22 October 2026 (23:59)

Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects the people we serve. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and encourage applicants to complete the diversity survey section of the application.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone is treated with dignity, respect and fairness. We expect all employees to demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and to promote inclusive, non-discriminatory practices in their work. This commitment forms part of our recruitment process, and candidates may be assessed on their understanding of and ability to contribute to an inclusive working environment.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. This includes people with hidden disabilities, long-term health conditions, diagnoses and mental health conditions. We also guarantee an interview to care-experienced applicants who meet the essential criteria. Information shared for this purpose will be treated fairly and used only to confirm eligibility under these schemes.

If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact recruitment@brent.gov.uk.

Brent has a positive approach to flexible working.

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