Cemetery & Grounds Team Leader (Interim)

Job Category : Commercial

Location : 1 Derriford Business Park, Plymouth City Council

Hours Per Week : 37.00

Start Date : Immediate Start

Start Time : 09:00

End Time : 17:30

Salary: £20.00

To supervise and lead a team across numerous sites. This will involve work

planning in the short term and future, the planning and coordination of burials

and cremations, developing a grounds maintenance plan and other grounds

maintenance/activities. Providing assurance to the Bereavement Service

management team that health, safety and wellbeing procedures are being

followed.

Key

accountabilities

and key

measures

Role outcomes

 Day to day management across

four cemeteries and two

crematoria and five closed

churchyards. (30%)

 Responsible for aspects of Health

and Safety in the work place

including undertaking Risk

Assessment and ensuring they

are up to date and staff comply.

Looking for continually

improvements to reduce risks

with existing health and safety

issues. (30%)

 Seek opportunities to generate

income (10%)

 Maintain collaborative working

relationships with internal and

external partners to promote

working together e.g. Street

Services, Councillors, Funeral

Directors, Clergy, Celebrants

and the Ministry of Justice. (10%)

 Maintain and improve the

competency and morale of the

team in order to deliver

Role measures

 Staff survey results evidence staff

satisfaction with management

and job satisfaction.

 Reduction in complaints received

 Reduction in incidents of Health

and Safety

 An efficient and fit for purpose

Burial and Grounds team across

the sites.

 Improved customer satisfaction

 Achievement of compliance with

the Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Policy and associated Health and

Safety Standards with no failed

inspections or improvement

notices from the HSE.

Essential

qualifications/

knowledge

 Good Knowledge of Health and Safety legislation and practice

 Knowledge of using associated machinery (excavating and grave digging

and grounds maintenance equipment)

 Either 2 GCSE’s Grade A-C in English and Maths OR Literacy and

numeracy commensurate with the grading of the post.

 Full driving license

 Working knowledge of the relevant legislation and codes of practice

relating to Burial and Cremation.

Desirable

qualifications/

knowledge

 Experience of grave digging and burial

 ICCM (Institute of Cemetery and Crematoria Management) Cemetery

Qualification.

 Qualified to use mechanical excavators

 Capable of operating all grounds maintenance equipment used in the

service

 IOSH qualification or working towards it.

Essential

experience

 Manage workload and resource conflict to ensure adequate cover at all

times

 Experience of working with the public in a service or in situations of a

similar sensitive nature, as the post holder will have contact with

bereaved people/families, be present at burials and work with human

remains.

 Experience of work planning of own and a team across various sites to

ensure resources are in place to deliver service needs.

 Proven track record of driving through change and improving working

practices

Desirable

 Working within a Local Authority

experience

Essential skills  The ability and experience of working autonomously to develop

implement and review operational changes and service improvements to

drive service efficiencies, improved performance and meet corporate

objectives.

 Day to day supervision and task management of staff

 Planning skills to ensure resources are allocated to optimise the smooth

and effective running of the service, to plan and make recommendations

for operational changes which require the ability to problem solve and be

practical when identifying solutions to ensure planned delivery of work.

 Ability to manage, adapt and prioritise own workload and that of their

staff, when priorities and pressures are changed often within short

timescales.

 Ability to interpret relevant legislation for the service and apply same to

the operational service.

 Excellent interpersonal and communication skills are essential to deal

with staff, customers, internal and external agencies and these situations

can sometimes be sensitive.

 Experience of budgetary controls to support financial spend in the team.
Driving skills required to drive all vehicles and plant associated with the

service.

 Effective IT skills including Microsoft Office, Excel and PowerPoint

 Be change ready, with an eye on the horizon to anticipate opportunitiesand challenges and able to adapt and flex as necessary