Gaffney Funeral Home, Pierce County's oldest funeral services company, was founded by Conrad Hoska in 1883. His tradition of caring for families began in those early days of the Washington Territory and was built on helping families to remember and say goodbye. Those same early traditions of caring for those that called on him continue today at Gaffney Group locations in Western Washington.

It is no secret that the backbone of our success is our dedicated, professional staff. Our goal is for all of our associates to work together to provide a seamless experience for each family, from the time of prearrangements, to at-need services, to the selection of markers and monuments, and into the time of aftercare. We currently have an immediate opening for a Apprentice Funeral Director at our Oakwood Hill Funeral Chapel & Cemetery location in Tacoma. This is a full-time position with an industry leading benefits package with hours being Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5 PM and on call responsibility.

Operations employees at Gaffney Group are caring and empathetic team members skilled in the art of the coordination and conducting of funeral and cremation wishes as chosen by our client families. Operations employees are responsible for the coordination of funeral director tasks required for all client family arrangements and the logistical, technical and ceremonial skills necessary to complete them. Responsibility for specific tasks may vary depending on the needs and tasks of the company workflow.

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Provides customer service in all areas of funeral arrangements, cremation ceremonies and interment to assist families achieve peace following the loss of a loved one. Provides exemplary personalized and professional service. Implements choices made by the families or 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.

SPECIFIC RESPONSBILITIES

Arranges and conducts funeral and memorial ceremonies in a professional, organized and caring manner consistent with company policies and procedures Negotiates and enters into funeral contracts Handles contracts, legal documents, and collection of payment 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. Arranges for the interment or cremation of human remains Adheres to all company and regulatory requirements Retains heritage and grows market share through active involvement with community, religious and other organizations Performs on call responsibilities by: Taking first calls Talking with families Answering questions Providing initial details Conducting transfers Confirms authorization to proceed with the service arrangements Supervises funeral services by: Supervising 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 Ensures adherence to all applicable professional, municipal, provincial/state and federal licensing authority, regulations and rules 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; prepares reports as necessary May assist with general office duties May assist with the maintenance of vehicles, the facility and property Receives caskets and other funeral home supplies as well as places into inventory Ensures refreshments are available Performs other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

High school graduate or GED. Insurable driving record. Lift up to 100 lbs.

JOB COMPENSATION:

Competitive wage and advancement opportunities Medical, dental, and vision insurance Paid time off Participation in company service bonus pool Monthly cell phone stipend of $55 401(k) retirement plan

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to this posting or postal mail to Gaffney Group, 1002 S. Yakima Ave., Tacoma, WA 98405 (Attn: Human Resources) no later than 8/31/2025. All applications will be held in the strictest of confidence. When submitting electronically, please send only Word (.doc or .docx) or Acrobat (.pdf) formats. All other formats received will be discarded without notification. NO CALLS PLEASE

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $19.00 - $23.00 per hour

Benefits: 401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Retirement plan Vision insurance

Work Location: In person