• A sexton is an appointee of a religious organisation and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of its buildings and the surrounding or associated graveyard (if applicable).
• Alternatively, a sexton is responsible for the operation and maintenance of a community’s cemeteries/urupa and is retained by a city or district council, or Māori or private entity.

• Operation and maintenance of all church buildings; orders, receives, and stocks supplies and equipment; performs tasks involving site security, health and safety, and emergency response; prepares the site for regular services and events on the church calendar and tidies up afterwards; performs or organises regular cleaning, building repairs, grounds maintenance, and rubbish disposal; may supervise contractors and volunteers onsite; keeps associated records; and reports issues to supervisors.
• Ensures the operation of the graveyard/cemetery is in accordance with the reserves management plan or similar; may supervise staff (e.g. grave diggers or garden labourers); receives grave excavation requests and location instructions; prepares all equipment and grounds for burials; complies with a variety of health and safety requirements; digs graves using a mini-excavator or similar and/or hand tools to prescribed specifications; may install/remove shoring or lining materials in graves; removes surplus earth; backfills graves; levels sunken graves; may set grave markers; may complete and keep records; may clean and maintain cemetery grounds and facilities; may mow lawns and perform other general garden labouring tasks onsite; and may assist visitors to find graves.

• Works both indoors and outdoors. Works in most weather conditions.
• Occasionally to frequently works in confined awkward spaces wet and dirty conditions.

• Up to very heavy physical demand levels. Clambering in and out of trenches is occasionally to frequently required. Stands frequently for most work.
• Occasionally walks about the work area to move equipment and materials.
• Occasionally to frequently digs or shovels material out of / into the grave. Frequently to constantly stretches out and down if digging. Occasionally stretches up or across for perform general maintenance tasks. Bends frequently. Occasionally squats, crouches, or kneels. Frequently to occasionally twists the body or neck. Frequently lifts and carries materials, earth, and tools. Frequent repetitive hand and arm movements are required if digging, levelling ground, gardening, or doing general maintenance work.
• Driving is frequently to occasionally required if operating excavation machinery or moving between cemetery sites.
• May use a range of machinery and hand tools, along with general office equipment.
• Mental skills necessary include practical, organisational, problem-solving, and record-keeping skills, and religious and cultural sensitivity. Empathy for bereaved people.

• A relevant New Zealand Register Level 4 qualification or at least three years of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 3). In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification.
• Some specific roles may require a Class 1 Driver Licence with a Wheels (W) or Tracks (T) Endorsement.

There are opportunities for flexibility of movement.