Funeral Operations Assistant – Casual

About the Role

McCartney Family Funerals is seeking a Casual Funeral Operations Assistant to join our Operations team based at Underwood.

Funeral Operations Assistants provide essential practical support across our funeral operations, helping ensure deceased persons are cared for respectfully and every funeral, viewing and transfer is carried out professionally, safely and with dignity.

This is a hands-on role suited to someone who is dependable, physically capable, highly organised and comfortable working within the unique environment of funeral service.

As a casual team member, you will assist our Funeral Directors, Mortuary team and wider Operations team as required, with working hours determined by operational needs.

Key Responsibilities

Funeral Service Support

• Assist Funeral Directors with the preparation and conduct of funeral services, viewings and other appointments.
• Prepare chapels, venues and equipment before services.
• Ensure flowers, stationery, coffins, audiovisual equipment and other service requirements are correctly positioned and ready.
• Assist during funeral services to ensure proceedings run smoothly and according to plan.
• Pack down and return equipment and materials following services.

Transfers & Transportation

• Assist with the respectful transfer and transportation of deceased persons.
• Support transfers from hospitals, aged care facilities, private residences and other locations as required.
• Assist with transportation between our facilities, churches, venues, cemeteries and crematoriums.
• Ensure deceased persons are handled respectfully and safely at all times.
• Maintain the presentation and readiness of funeral vehicles and transfer equipment.

Deceased Care & Mortuary Support

• Assist with basic preparation of deceased persons where trained and authorised, including dressing and casketing.
• Assist the Mortuary team with practical operational requirements.
• Ensure the dignity, identity and respectful care of every deceased person is maintained at all times.
• Follow all relevant infection control, manual handling, workplace health and safety and mortuary procedures.

Operational & Facility Support

• Maintain our Underwood Operations Centre, funeral equipment and vehicles to a high standard of cleanliness and presentation.
• Prepare, clean and return equipment following funerals and transfers.
• Monitor operational supplies and advise the appropriate team member when replenishment is required.
• Assist with other operational activities necessary to support the effective delivery of funeral services.

Administration & Documentation

• Complete operational records and documentation accurately and promptly.
• Assist with funeral documentation and administrative requirements as directed.
• Ensure confidential information relating to families and deceased persons is handled appropriately.
• Follow established procedures for identification, documentation and chain of care.

Family Care

• Interact with grieving families with compassion, patience and professionalism.
• Provide practical assistance to families during viewings, funerals and other interactions.
• Recognise that every interaction contributes to a family’s experience with McCartney Family Funerals.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries while providing genuine and compassionate care.

Teamwork

• Work collaboratively with Funeral Directors, Mortuary staff and other members of the Operations team.
• Communicate clearly about operational requirements, changes and potential issues.
• Assist colleagues when required to ensure funeral services are delivered successfully.
• Contribute positively to a supportive, respectful and professional workplace.

About You

Funeral Operations requires a particular combination of compassion and practicality.

You must be comfortable working around deceased persons and grieving families while remaining calm, professional and focused on the work that needs to be completed.

We are looking for someone who demonstrates:

• Compassion, maturity and respect.
• Reliability and a strong work ethic.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• The ability to follow procedures and instructions accurately.
• Confidence working independently when required.
• A collaborative and team-oriented approach.
• The ability to remain calm when circumstances change unexpectedly.
• Professional communication and presentation.
• High standards of confidentiality and integrity.
• A willingness to undertake varied, practical and sometimes physically demanding work.

Essential Requirements

To be considered for this position, you will need:

• An open driver’s licence.
• A high level of physical fitness and the ability to safely undertake the inherent physical requirements of the position.
• The ability and willingness to work respectfully with deceased persons.
• Flexibility to work casual hours according to operational requirements, which may include early mornings, evenings, weekends and public holidays.
• The ability to comply with McCartney Family Funerals’ workplace health and safety, infection control, manual handling and operational procedures.

Previous experience within funeral operations or a comparable role is highly regarded. Our existing position framework identifies a minimum of two years’ comparable experience for the permanent Funeral Operations Assistant position.

What Success Looks Like

A successful Funeral Operations Assistant:

• Treats every deceased person with dignity and respect.
• Understands that small details can have a significant impact on a family’s experience.
• Arrives prepared and completes responsibilities reliably.
• Anticipates what the Funeral Director and Operations team will need.
• Notices problems and takes appropriate action before they affect a funeral service.
• Works safely and does not compromise procedures for convenience or speed.
• Supports colleagues and contributes to the success of the wider team.
• Maintains professionalism regardless of the circumstances.
• Takes pride in ensuring everything presented to a family meets the standards expected of McCartney Family Funerals.

These expectations align with the behavioural competencies established for MFF Funeral Operations roles, particularly Achievement Drive, Adaptability, Confidence, Proactivity, Safety Orientation and Teamworking.

Our Values

Everything we do is underpinned by our values:

Care — Care is at the heart of what we do and is our core purpose at every step of our journey.

Compassion — Compassion drives us to be the very best at what we do and gives us the freedom to serve our families and each other.

Community — Our community is essential to our success, and we include them in all that we do.

Support — Support holds us together during times of grief, stress and pressure.

Family — Family is at the centre of developing memories, experiencing moments and creating lifelong connections.

About McCartney Family Funerals

McCartney Family Funerals is a family-owned and operated funeral company committed to providing exceptional care to families during one of the most significant times in their lives.

Our Funeral Operations team works behind the scenes and alongside our Funeral Directors to make sure every detail is taken care of. The work can be demanding, unpredictable and highly practical, but it also provides the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to families and our community every day.

McCartney Family Funerals — It’s a Family Thing.