The posting
Diocese of Orange, Good Shepherd Cemetery
POSITION TITLE: FAMILY SERVICE ADVISOR
FLSA STATUS: Full-Time, At-Will, Non-exempt, Benefit Eligible
DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: Cemeteries
REPORTS TO: Cemetery Manager and Manager of Advance Planning and Sales SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None PAY RANGE: $16.90 - $25.00 per hour + commission
INTERNAL/EXTERNAL CONTACTS: Cemetery Management, staff, families, visitors, mortuary staff, memorial companies, vault companies, clergy, vendors, and parish staff.
PRIMARY PURPOSE: Family Service Advisor is primarily responsible for serving the immediate need families that contact or visit the cemetery office. Additionally, the Family Service Advisor is required to perform follow-up activities in a pro-active manner to provide assistance to families. Secure additional sales, generate referrals through the presentation of the complete Circle of Protection to include the Diocese Funeral Plan and the Travel Protection Plan.
The Family Service Advisor represents the Roman Catholic Church. They are expected to conduct themselves according to the goals and mission of the Church in performing their work.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE: REQUIRED: • High school graduate or equivalent. • Two years’ experience in sales or related fields resulting in direct contact with the public • Successful completion of training program. • Good oral, written and interpersonal skills. • Dependable transportation to conduct family service follow-up and pre-need sales. • Valid California drivers license and proof of automobile insurance. • Valid California Life Agent License or willingness to obtain Life Agent license within 120 days of employment. • Good interpersonal relation skills • Able to follow directions and fulfill duties outlined in job description
DESIRED: • Cemetery sales experience • Bi-lingual: English, Spanish/Vietnamese • Practicing Roman Catholic
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: • Advise families making at-need arrangements. Complete all paperwork as required. • Attend grave site service for those families with whom at-need arrangements are made or as needed at the request of the cemetery manager. • Respond to customer (family) complaints in accordance with company policy and advise management promptly of any situation beyond scope of authority. • Provide information regarding cemetery policies, procedures, available product lines and services, location and costs. • As required, assist families at the counter, on the telephone and by written correspondence. Show families locations as requested. • Meet specified sales performance minimums • Prepare and process a variety of documents including but not limited to: contracts, authorization forms, memorial orders, work orders, fulfillments • Receive payments for deposit according to established procedures. • Perform general clerical work as assigned • Assist with the training of new sales representatives as required. • Conduct business and service professionally and in accordance with the Sales Division Policy and Procedures manual. • Cooperate with all office personnel in the execution of programs and policies in order to achieve overall objectives.
Follow-Up Duties: • Follow through and completing Memorialization needs. • Contact post-need families on a regularly scheduled basis to provide additional service information and generate referrals. Follow up in a pro-active manner on referrals generated. • Generate and follow up on leads and referrals. • Maintain sales activity necessary to satisfy minimum achievement levels. • Follow sales and marketing procedures that are approved by management. • Keep all records, materials and prices current. • Maintain accurate sales recording and posting in CRM. • Perform other work related tasks as needed.
AT-NEED ARRANGEMENT SALES AND FAMILY SERVICES OVERVIEW
The function of the Family Service Advisor is to serve families that come to our office or call to make at-need arrangements. It is also the responsibility of the Family Service Advisor to make follow-up calls to provide assistance to families, generate referrals and obtain self generated leads and sales. The Family Services Department is a proactive department. Family Service Advisors are required to follow-up and serve at-need families after the service and to be productive.
1. IMMEDIATE NEED ARRANGEMENTS
When a family comes to the office to make immediate-need arrangements, the Family Service Advisor’s primary concern is to assist the family in proper selection and/or fulfillment of products and services and to attend the graveside service. After the family is totally satisfied with their arrangements, the advisor then introduces them to the follow-up procedures. The follow-up must be service based and truly beneficial for the family. A follow-up packet has been designed to address the family's concerns after the service.
It should be stressed that the Family Service Advisor must demonstrate service before sales. Sensitivity and sincerity are of the utmost importance. Proper training with transition statements and service materials provided in this manual will help in this endeavor.
2. FAMILY SERVICE FOLLOW UP
It is important to note that a strong bond must be created at this point to allow for successful follow-up.
The Family Service Advisor will advise the family that he/she will call within a designated number of days after the service to provide information that will help them through this most difficult time. A packet consisting of a Catholic Emergency Record File, grief and bereavement literature, rules and regulations, memorial map, social security information, veteran’s information, permanent record file and memorialization will be reviewed.
The approach must stem from a high integrity service mentality. The objective is to complete your records, service the family’s needs, answer questions, introduce additional services and obtain quality referrals.
Leads will develop from some or all of the following:
a. Immediate family members b. Relatives c. Personal friends d. Service attendees
Training Compensation Training wage is $25.00 hourly, and post-training wage is $16.90 + commissions
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical Requirements • To perform duties of the job, the employee may on a regular basis be required to stand, sit, talk, hear/listen, reach, stoop, kneel and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, keyboard and other office equipment. Close vision requirements apply due to the nature of computer work. • Mobility: Frequent walking and standing on cemetery grounds and other outdoor venues, including grass, gravel, uneven terrain, slopes, curbs, and stairs; ability to navigate such areas safely during tours, site visits, and graveside services. Reach, stoop, kneel as needed. • Posture & Movement: Regular sitting at a workstation, in meetings, or during consultations; intermittent bending, stooping, reaching, kneeling, and handling service or presentation materials. • Lifting/Carrying: Ability to lift and carry up to 30 lbs. of materials such as literature boxes, easels, displays, floral arrangements, or small tables, in compliance with Cal/OSHA safe-lifting guidelines. • Manual Dexterity: Frequent use of hands and fingers for typing, CRM data entry, handling documents, operating office equipment, and processing payments. • Driving: Safe operation of a personal vehicle for local and regional travel to cemeteries, parishes, family residences, community sites, and outreach events; valid California driver’s license and insurance required. • Vision & Hearing: Adequate visual acuity to read printed materials, cemetery maps, memorial inscriptions, and computer screens; ability to hear and speak clearly in person, over the phone, and in group settings. • Outdoor Tolerance: Work in varying Southern California weather conditions — heat, sun, wind, light rain, or cool mornings — with appropriate personal protective measures. • Schedule Flexibility: Availability for occasional evening, weekend, and Holy Day assignments to support parish outreach, at-need arrangements, family follow-up, and community events. • Pace & Demands: Ability to balance high-volume sales and outreach activities with sensitive pastoral care. Must maintain confidentiality in accordance with diocesan policy, California privacy laws, and cemetery/funeral industry regulations.
Work Environment • Office Setting: Administrative tasks performed in a professional office setting with reliable internet, phone, and computer; prolonged periods of computer work and phone communication. • Cemetery Grounds: Regular presence outdoors for tours, graveside attendance, and coordination with grounds and maintenance staff; potential exposure to moderate noise from equipment, seasonal pollen, and floral/landscaping scents (handled per safety data sheet requirements). • Parish & Community Venues: Occasional work in parish halls, senior care facilities, and other community locations for presentations, meetings, and family consultations; adherence to site-specific safety and conduct rules. • In-Person Consultations: Sensitive and pastoral engagement with families in settings such as offices and gravesides; requires professional demeanor and alignment with Catholic values and diocesan mission. • Travel Demands: Occasional intra-county travel, with possible inter-county travel within the Diocese; mileage documented for reimbursement according to diocesan policy. • Equipment: Use of basic computer and laptop equipment, keyboard, mouse, telephone, copier, fax, facsimile, calculator and paper shredder. Credit card terminal. Cemetery autos, golf carts and shuttles. • Confidentiality & Compliance: All duties performed in accordance with California privacy laws, diocesan policies, cemetery/funeral regulations, and Cal/OSHA safety requirements.
