Funeral Attendant

McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, an independent and progressive funeral home with locations in and around Calgary, has been serving the community for over 120 years. We pride ourselves on providing the highest quality funeral services in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

As members of our Funeral Team have progressed into new roles within the company, we're excited to welcome new Funeral Attendants to the team. At McInnis & Holloway, providing exceptional funeral service requires more than being kind and compassionate. It requires people who notice the details, anticipate what needs to happen next, take initiative, and can be relied upon to follow through.

Our Funeral Attendants play an essential hands-on role in ensuring every funeral service is prepared and carried out professionally. Families may never see much of the work that happens behind the scenes – but they experience the result when everything is exactly where it should be, when the service runs smoothly, and when our team is ready before they ever need to ask.

This position is well suited to someone who takes pride in being prepared, notices when something isn't right, steps in without always needing to be asked, and understands that 5-Star Service means both caring for people and executing the details correctly.

What You'll Do

As a Funeral Attendant, you will work alongside Funeral Directors and other members of the Funeral Team to prepare for and carry out funerals, visitations and graveside services.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Preparing chapels, churches and other venues for funeral and visitation services.
• Setting up flowers, photographs, memorabilia, service materials and culturally specific items according to the requirements of each service.
• Loading and preparing funeral vehicles with the equipment and materials required for the service.
• Transporting families to services, gravesides and residences in company vehicles.
• Welcoming families and guests, distributing service folders and providing seating guidance.
• Bringing caskets and urns into service locations and providing direction to pallbearers.
• Assisting Funeral Directors with service preparation and other daily operational requirements.
• Setting up and tearing down services, including moving equipment and furnishings as required.
• Maintaining the cleanliness and professional appearance of funeral home facilities, equipment, grounds and vehicles.
• Working comfortably around, and occasionally having contact with, decedents.
• Travelling between McInnis & Holloway chapels and other service locations, including outside the Calgary area.
• Performing other operational duties required to support the Funeral Team and the families we serve.

What Makes a Great Funeral Attendant

Our strongest Funeral Attendants combine compassion and professionalism with initiative, sound judgment and a strong work ethic.

You are likely to succeed in this role if you:

• Notice what needs to be done and take appropriate action without waiting for every task to be assigned.
• Pay close attention to details and understand that small oversights can have a significant impact on a funeral service.
• Work with an appropriate sense of urgency while remaining calm, respectful and professional.
• Follow instructions, procedures and service plans accurately.
• Think ahead and anticipate what the Funeral Director, your team or the family may need next.
• Take ownership of assigned responsibilities and follow them through to completion.
• Work effectively as part of a coordinated team and willingly step in when another team member needs assistance.
• Are dependable, punctual and prepared to work when your shift begins.
• Receive feedback well, learn from mistakes and consistently apply what you have been taught.
• Are comfortable performing physical and behind-the-scenes work, including setup, teardown, cleaning, loading and moving equipment.
• Adapt well when circumstances, priorities or timelines change unexpectedly.
• Understand that no task is unimportant when it contributes to providing an exceptional experience for a family.

What You Bring

• A professional, helpful and caring demeanor.
• Strong situational awareness, initiative and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated reliability and a strong work ethic.
• Excellent verbal communication skills; a second language is considered an asset.
• Empathy, patience and sensitivity to different cultural practices.
• The physical ability to lift and carry up to 50 kg and assist with moving a casket.
• A current Class 5 non-GDL driver's license.
• A driver's abstract with six or fewer demerits
• Continuous insurance coverage for a minimum of the past three years, with no gaps in coverage
• Ability to successfully complete a background/security clearance.
• Availability to work your full scheduled rotation, including weekends and holidays, and to remain past scheduled hours when required to meet the needs of the families we serve.
• Completion of, or enrolment in, a Funeral Services program is considered an asset but is not required.

A Schedule Designed for Funeral Service - and Life Outside of It

Our full-time Funeral Attendants work an average of 75 hours bi-weekly, on a 6-week rotation, with every third weekend off. Core hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with modified hours for scheduled evening services or longer days.

For employees interested in additional work, our Piecework Program provides opportunities to voluntarily take on additional shifts and earn above time-and-a-half for those hours.

In 2025, 93% of extra hours worked through the program were voluntarily selected by employees.

Why McInnis & Holloway?

We've been serving Calgary families for generations, but that doesn't mean we believe funeral service should be stuck in the past.

We've listened to our employees, modernized how we work and continue to evolve how we support our team.

Employees enjoy:

• Starting wage of $21.00 per hour.
• Comprehensive healthcare, dental and wellness benefits.
• Team Incentive Program.
• Savings and RRSP matching programs.
• Professional development, training, leadership development and cross-training opportunities.
• A professional wardrobe, including work suits, dresses, shirts and shoes.
• Company-provided dry-cleaning and shoe-polishing services.
• Sabbatical program for eligible long-service employees.
• Regular scheduled meetings with managers to provide feedback, support and development.
• Employee recognition through Kudos - $45,000 in gift cards earned in 2025.
• Team-building programs.
• Modern facilities and a premium fleet of funeral vehicles.

The Reality of Funeral Service

Funeral service is meaningful and rewarding work, but it is also demanding.

Services operate on fixed timelines. Priorities can change quickly. Some days are physically demanding and some days run longer than originally planned. There will be times when everyone on the team needs to pitch in, regardless of whose task something would ordinarily be.

Funeral Attendants remain engaged throughout their shift, looking for opportunities to assist, and contribute to the team wherever needed.

If you are someone who sees what needs to be done and does it, you may be exactly who we're looking for.

Where Compassion Meets Excellence

McInnis & Holloway is looking for people who care deeply about the families we serve and take pride in doing their job exceptionally well.

Previous experience in a fast-paced, customer-service environment such as funeral service, hospitality, restaurants, events, or other service-focused industries requiring strong customer service, teamwork, and attention to detail are encouraged to apply.

If you're dependable, observant, proactive and willing to contribute wherever you're needed, we'd like to hear from you.

Apply today to join the McInnis & Holloway Funeral Team as a Funeral Attendant.

To be considered for this position, applicants must complete the pre-screen questionnaire as part of the application process.

While we appreciate all applications, only candidates who most closely meet the requirements of the position will be contacted. This competition will remain open until suitable candidates are found.