Diocese of St. Augustine Catholic Cemeteries Position: Family Needs Consultant FLSA: Non-Exempt Reports to: Director
# of open positions: 2 Department: Catholic Cemeteries Location: San Lorenzo, St. Mary, Gate of Heaven, & Our Lady of Hope Cemeteries. Effective Date: April 10, 2025
General Summary: The Family Needs Consultant is responsible for all direct contact with families and funeral directors served by the Catholic Cemeteries. In this role the Family Needs Consultant will meet with families to assist them in making both Pre-need and At-need arrangements. The grounds of these cemeteries have been blessed according to ceremonies prescribed by the Church and are consecrated grounds dedicated to the purpose of Christian burial and set apart for the conduct of religious rites as prescribed by the Church for the obsequies of the faithful.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: - Networks throughout the communities, parishes, and cemetery sponsored events to educate people on the importance of Pre-need sales.
- Schedules in-home and on-site presentations to families during normal office hours, evenings, and on weekends, as required. Presentations to families must outline the appropriate interment options along with a complete explanation of the choices selected and costs incurred by the family. Consultant must be able to match our offerings to the families' needs.
- Consults families making Pre-need & At-need arrangements; shows the family available space for interments, completes all necessary paperwork, obtains requisite signatures, collects money and/or arrange payment time. Confirms that all arrangements have been made to complete the interment service.
- Communicates with funeral directors to confirm cemetery arrangements.
- Provides courteous, compassionate and timely customer service to families with questions regarding funerals, rules and regulations, cemetery operations, as well as cemetery products and services.
- Assist families with concerns regarding cemetery policies and procedures.
- Responsible for accuracy and completeness of all data and pricing prior to submitting contracts and sales agreements.
- Enters all appropriate information on the cemetery software, CemSites.
- Meet and greet walk-in customers, responds to complaints and information requests in a tactful and professional manner.
- Screens and prioritizes phone calls or provides direct assistance to individuals and families, necessitating a high level of professionalism, empathy, tact, courtesy and diplomacy.
- Search, investigate, and share genealogy information as requested by families.
- Attends all required meetings.
- Performs other related duties as assigned by the Director of Cemeteries, or as needed by the Administrative Staff.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required - Preferred: a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church and registered member of a Catholic parish faith community.
- Ability to respect, promote, accommodate and not be in conflict with the mission, moral and social teachings, doctrines and laws of the Roman Catholic faith in the way one speaks and acts.
- Minimum, high school diploma or equivalent.
- Must have previous personal sales experience; cemetery sales experience is a plus.
- Must have an understanding of the values and mission of the Catholic Church and the Christian burial process.
- Knowledge of basic computer skills required: MS Office, Excel, E-Mail, some database. Ability to learn new technology as it relates to cemetery-specific applications including map reading, CemSites (inventory, burials, owners, financials).
- Ability to work independently and exercise a high degree of confidentiality.
- Ability to read and interpret maps, charts, graphs, as well as section, lot and columbarium maps.
- Ability to properly utilize files and card systems.
- Ability to compassionately assist grieving families; honors, respects and cares for all people, displaying cultural diversity awareness and sensitivity.
- Ability to maintain a positive attitude and professional appearance.
- Recognize and demonstrate the ability to provide detail and accuracy in all paperwork and computer submissions.
- Ability to use a high level of discretion and judgement in daily operations and projects.
- Exercises considerable independence and judgment with a high level of confidentiality.
- Must successfully pass the required criminal background check prior to employment and every five years.
Language Skills Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports and business correspondence. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from managers, clients, vendors, employees, and the general public.
Mathematical Skills Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentages.
Reasoning Ability Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions and information presented in diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, and crouch. The employee must regularly lift and or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.
Working Conditions The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Position may require some evening and weekend hours.