Job summary
Bereavement support is offered on an individual and in group settings within the hospice and community including a walking group. The Bereavement Coordinator also works closely with the Spiritual Care Coordinator with bimonthly remembrance service.
Bereavement support helps service users to gain strength, improve resilience and help them to work through strategies for coping.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will need to be a health or social care professional (counselling, social work, psychology, nursing, AHP), with L4 Counselling diploma or above and 1 year qualified counselling experience, and either accredited or working towards BACP.
They will be expected to manage a caseload to include working with individuals and groups requiring bereavement support.
They will supervise a group of bereavement volunteers offering them regular supervision, training and support, including with the running of community volunteer led bereavement groups.
They will work with and be part of the patient and family support team to deliver holistic support for service users.
About us
Wirral Hospice St Johns has over 40-year history of supporting the residents of Wirral who have incurable life limiting illness and the people close to them. The organisation continues to grow and develop in response to the needs of our community. Currently support is delivered by multi professional teams working in our 16 bed Inpatient unit, Outpatient, Wellbeing and Hospice at Home services.
The hospice benefits from being an independent charity allowing flexibility and creativity in the design and delivery of services whilst being firmly integrated with key local NHS providers. Care and support is delivered with integrity and quality.
NHS Superannuation is transferrable for existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme.
As a relatively small organisation we are committed to developing the skills and interests of our staff to ensure the workforce is motivated and equipped to deliver what is expected of them in a compassionate and competent manner through apprenticeships, formal training and workplace experience.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Title: Bereavement Support Coordinator
Contract: Permanent subject to probation
Salary Band: £39,959 - £48,117 prorata
Hours: 18.75 hours per week
Closing date: 30 April 2026
Interview dates: 12 & 13 May 2026
Some of our key staff benefits:
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, and option to buy extra annual leave
- Sick pay
- Various pension schemes
- Family-friendly policies
- Eligible to apply for Blue Light discount card
- Investment in learning and development
Wirral Hospice St Johns is looking to recruit a Bereavement Support Coordinator. This is a rare and exciting opportunity. The successful candidate will be in charge of assessing and coordinating bereavement support for the hospice. They will also coordinate the bereavement volunteers.
Bereavement support is offered on an individual and in group settings within the hospice and community including a walking group. The Bereavement Coordinator also works closely with the Spiritual Care Coordinator with bimonthly remembrance service.
Bereavement support helps service users to gain strength, improve resilience and help them to work through strategies for coping.
The successful candidate will need to be dynamic, enthusiastic and compassionate as well as having good interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment.
Working for Wirral Hospice St Johns offers a rewarding career in a friendly environment with opportunities to make a real difference to peoples’ lives.
In return, some of the benefits that we can offer to the successful candidates include continuation of NHS Superannuation Pension Scheme, for existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme and a commitment to learning and development.
Posts are subject to an appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Certificate
For an application pack:
- Please visit our website at www.wirralhospice.org/job-vacancies
- Or email HR@wirralhospice.org
Alternatively, for an informal chat before applying, please contact Julian Hampton Mathews on 0151 334 2778 or via email julianhm@wirralhospice.org
Completed application forms to be returned to:
- Wirral Hospice St John’s, Workforce Office, Mount Road, Higher Bebington, Wirral CH63 6JE
- Or emailed to: HR@wirralhospice.org
Job description
Job responsibilities
Title: Bereavement Support Coordinator
Contract: Permanent subject to probation
Salary Band: £39,959 - £48,117 prorata
Hours: 18.75 hours per week
Closing date: 30 April 2026
Interview dates: 12 & 13 May 2026
Some of our key staff benefits:
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, and option to buy extra annual leave
- Sick pay
- Various pension schemes
- Family-friendly policies
- Eligible to apply for Blue Light discount card
- Investment in learning and development
Wirral Hospice St Johns is looking to recruit a Bereavement Support Coordinator. This is a rare and exciting opportunity. The successful candidate will be in charge of assessing and coordinating bereavement support for the hospice. They will also coordinate the bereavement volunteers.
Bereavement support is offered on an individual and in group settings within the hospice and community including a walking group. The Bereavement Coordinator also works closely with the Spiritual Care Coordinator with bimonthly remembrance service.
Bereavement support helps service users to gain strength, improve resilience and help them to work through strategies for coping.
The successful candidate will need to be dynamic, enthusiastic and compassionate as well as having good interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment.
Working for Wirral Hospice St Johns offers a rewarding career in a friendly environment with opportunities to make a real difference to peoples’ lives.
In return, some of the benefits that we can offer to the successful candidates include continuation of NHS Superannuation Pension Scheme, for existing members of the NHS Pension Scheme and a commitment to learning and development.
Posts are subject to an appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Certificate
For an application pack:
- Please visit our website at www.wirralhospice.org/job-vacancies
- Or email HR@wirralhospice.org
Alternatively, for an informal chat before applying, please contact Julian Hampton Mathews on 0151 334 2778 or via email julianhm@wirralhospice.org
Completed application forms to be returned to:
- Wirral Hospice St John’s, Workforce Office, Mount Road, Higher Bebington, Wirral CH63 6JE
- Or emailed to: HR@wirralhospice.org
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of theories of loss grief and bereavement and the ability to apply them therapeutically in work with adults.
- Understanding of common challenges faced by those who are bereaved.
- Demonstrable understanding of end of life care issues
Desirable
- Knowledge of theories of loss grief and bereavement and the ability to apply them therapeutically in work with families and or children.
- Understanding of service development.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of providing emotional support to those experiencing loss.
- Experience of working with adults and families.
- Experience of working with groups.
- Experience of managing and supporting volunteers or staff.
Desirable
- Experience of working within a health setting.
- Experience of working in end of life care or bereavement.
- Experience of training volunteers.
- Experience of offering mentoring, coaching or supervisory support.
Clinical Skills
Essential
- Ability to;
- Carry out initial assessment of clients with complex loss and or multiple issues, face to face or by phone.
- Understand complex grief reactions and interpersonal situations
- Identify and apply suitable support models.
- To provide bereavement support in individual and group sessions.
- Identify and make onward referrals to other specialisms when required.
- Work independently with clients and manage own case load within policy and time constraints.
- To advise and support volunteers with their individual case work.
- Computer skills to enable record keeping
Interpersonal Skills
Essential
- High quality interpersonal skills in individual, inter-professional situations.
- High quality interpersonal skills in groups.
- Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
- Excellent communication (written and verbal) and negotiation skills including proven ability to listen, empathise and advocate.
- Energy, drive and resilience, ability to implement change.
- Ability to deal effectively with all types of conflict.
Desirable
- Skill to work across professional and multi-agency boundaries.
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Degree holder or Diploma at level 5 qualification.
- Level 4 Counselling Diploma or above
- and 1 year qualified counselling experience, and either accredited or working towards BACP
- Professional Registration
- Evidence of post-qualification professional development
Desirable
- Advanced communication skills training.
- Counselling skills training
- Supervisory experience
- BACP / UKCP Registered member
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of theories of loss grief and bereavement and the ability to apply them therapeutically in work with adults.
- Understanding of common challenges faced by those who are bereaved.
- Demonstrable understanding of end of life care issues
Desirable
- Knowledge of theories of loss grief and bereavement and the ability to apply them therapeutically in work with families and or children.
- Understanding of service development.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of providing emotional support to those experiencing loss.
- Experience of working with adults and families.
- Experience of working with groups.
- Experience of managing and supporting volunteers or staff.
Desirable
- Experience of working within a health setting.
- Experience of working in end of life care or bereavement.
- Experience of training volunteers.
- Experience of offering mentoring, coaching or supervisory support.
Clinical Skills
Essential
- Ability to;
- Carry out initial assessment of clients with complex loss and or multiple issues, face to face or by phone.
- Understand complex grief reactions and interpersonal situations
- Identify and apply suitable support models.
- To provide bereavement support in individual and group sessions.
- Identify and make onward referrals to other specialisms when required.
- Work independently with clients and manage own case load within policy and time constraints.
- To advise and support volunteers with their individual case work.
- Computer skills to enable record keeping
Interpersonal Skills
Essential
- High quality interpersonal skills in individual, inter-professional situations.
- High quality interpersonal skills in groups.
- Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
- Excellent communication (written and verbal) and negotiation skills including proven ability to listen, empathise and advocate.
- Energy, drive and resilience, ability to implement change.
- Ability to deal effectively with all types of conflict.
Desirable
- Skill to work across professional and multi-agency boundaries.
Education and Qualification
Essential
- Degree holder or Diploma at level 5 qualification.
- Level 4 Counselling Diploma or above
- and 1 year qualified counselling experience, and either accredited or working towards BACP
- Professional Registration
- Evidence of post-qualification professional development
Desirable
- Advanced communication skills training.
- Counselling skills training
- Supervisory experience
- BACP / UKCP Registered member
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
