Cemetery Gardener/Sexton
Downer · Petone
Te kōwhiringa | The opportunity
There are few roles where the care you take each day means so much to the people around you. As Cemetery Kaitiaki with Downer’s Wellington Greenspaces team, you’ll help look after Lower Hutt’s cemetery spaces with dignity, compassion and pride, creating peaceful, respectful places for whānau, families, visitors and the wider community.
This hands-on role combines burial support, cemetery guardianship, horticultural care and sensitive public service. You’ll lead and oversee burial activities with support from the Cemetery Technician, prepare and reinstate burial areas with care, keep accurate records, and help maintain gardens, lawns, paths and memorial areas to a standard the community can trust.
You’ll be working in an environment where small details matter, from how a site is prepared before a service through to how the grounds are presented for families and visitors afterwards. This role suits someone who is practical, calm, respectful and able to balance physical outdoor work with thoughtful communication in sensitive situations.
- Lead and oversee burial preparation, interment support, plot preparation, reinstatement, grave care and ashes interments with professionalism, accuracy and care.
- Prepare cemetery areas before services and ensure sites are respectfully reinstated and presented afterwards.
- Maintain cemetery gardens, lawns, grass edges, footpaths, berms, memorial areas and public spaces to a consistently high standard.
- Complete cemetery records, interment booking information, service records, plant checks, timesheets and other documentation accurately and confidentially.
- Communicate respectfully and sensitively with funeral directors, council/client representatives, whānau, families, cemetery visitors and the public.
- Operate and care for vehicles, mowers, trimmers, blowers, hand tools, excavation equipment and horticultural equipment safely and efficiently.
- Identify hazards, follow safe work practices and help maintain visitor access, public safety and the dignity of the cemetery environment.
- Support wider Greenspace operations where required, including other contracts, crews or locations within your skills, training and capability.
Nga pūkenga matua | Important Skills
- A respectful, reliable and compassionate approach, with an understanding of the sensitive nature of cemetery work.
- Experience in cemetery operations, burial processes, interment support, grave care, horticulture, amenity maintenance or another public-facing service environment.
- The confidence to lead burial-related activities with care, dignity, accuracy, cultural awareness and professionalism.
- A current full Class 1 driver licence. An HT licence, excavator/digger competency or recognised cemetery, burial or interment qualification would be an advantage.
- A minimum Level 3 horticulture qualification, or equivalent recognised horticultural training.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to build respectful working relationships with whānau, families, funeral directors, visitors, clients and the wider team.
- A strong commitment to health and safety, quality, risk management and respectful conduct in a sensitive public environment.
- A willingness to complete role-related training in cemetery operations, burial processes, horticulture, cultural awareness, customer care and health and safety.
Ko te take ka parekareka e koe ki te mahi ki kōnei | Why you will enjoy working here
At Downer, we are committed to supporting our people to succeed. You will be part of a team that values safety, respect, service and pride in the communities we care for. We offer:
- Free access to Marram health care benefits and discounted holiday homes
- Safety equipment and clothing provided as part of the role
- $500 bonus for current employees who refer a friend to Downer
- Internal promotion encouraged, training and development on offer
- A free pie and hot drink each month at Z!
Me pēhea ki te tono | How to apply
If this sounds like the opportunity for you, click Apply Now to submit your application! The reference number for this role is 737125
We are committed to a safe working environment for everyone - all successful applicants will be required to undertake a pre-employment drug test, medical and a Ministry of Justice check prior to starting employment. If you need support with this requirement, please talk to our team.
Help care for some of Wellington’s most important community spaces. Combine cemetery operations, horticulture and public service in a meaningful, hands-on role with Downer.