Job Specifications
About The Role
Seasonal Ceremony Officer
Fixed Term, Part Time
£16.03 per hour
Location: Essex
Working Style: Operational field-based worker
Fixed Term Contract from 7th April 2026 - 6th November 2026.
Hourly Rate: £16.03. Salary: £30,942 per annum (Full-Time Equivalent).
We are recruiting Part-Time Seasonal Ceremony Officers across multiple locations in Essex. These roles offer fixed contracted hours, paid monthly in equal instalments over a 7-month period.
Watch this video to give you an insight into the role -
Join us as a Ceremony Officer – Essex County Council
Contract Details
Contract Duration: 7 April – 6 November 2026
Contracted Hours: 250–350 hours over the 7-month period
Working Pattern:
Availability on Fridays and Saturdays is essential
Additional weekday hours may be required, depending on your agreed contract
If appointed, undertaking work as a wedding or funeral celebrant in Essex during the period of employment is prohibited due to a conflict of interest.
Travel Requirements
Regular travel is a key part of this role
Mileage claims are permitted, with deductions made for the distance between your home and your designated base location
Recruitment Locations
We are currently hiring for the following base locations:
Billericay
Braintree
Brentwood
Chelmsford
Colchester
Dunmow
Epping
Great Baddow
Great Parndon
Harlow
Laindon
Maldon
Prettygate
Rayleigh
Uttlesford
Witham
You’ll be able to select your preferred location and working hours during the next stage of the application process. Simply click ‘Apply’ to begin.
Important Dates
Assessment Days: You must be available to attend one of our in-person assessment sessions on 13th or 15th January 2026. These sessions include:
A role overview
A Q&A with a current Ceremony Officer
An interview and skills tests
Observation and Equipment Collection:
Week commencing 6 April, you’ll be required to collect equipment and observe at least two ceremonies
Mandatory Training:
If successful, you must attend two in-person training days in Chelmsford
10th and 17th April 2026
The County of Essex is one of the most popular places in the country to get married, and you can understand why. With its rolling countryside contrasted with its compelling coastline, our beautiful county is adorned with an eclectic assortment of venues, from rustic barns to enchanting castles; some being the most hash tagged and sought after venues in the whole country.
As well as being one of the most esteemed locations to hold a ceremony, the Registration Service in Essex is also one of the largest authorities in the country. It is responsible for registering almost 6,000 Essex citizen’s life events each year, including Marriages, Civil Partnerships, and non-statutory ceremonies. The Registration Service has a duty to meet Essex County Council’s (ECC) statutory and legal obligations regarding registrations which are set and overseen by the General Register Office (GRO), whilst also ensuring that customers receive a high-quality service in line with GRO guidelines and standards.
If the idea of playing a significant role in many people’s milestone occasions appeals to you, take a look at the role in more detail, we’d love to hear from you. Essex County Council are committed to being an employer that values difference, and we’d love to recruit talented individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds to support with our busiest time for ceremonies.
The Role
Naturally, our ceremonies reach a peak across the summer months, and we are looking for individuals who can demonstrate positive behaviours and the ability to embrace a flexible and modern approach to work to balance our high seasonal demand. The busiest days for ceremonies tend to be over the weekends and Bank Holidays, but we have other busy days of the week which differ across the districts of the county. Your working hours will vary and can be subject to change at short notice depending on the operational needs of the service, so your flexibility and availability are key in ensuring that every ceremony request is met throughout the year.
You will be given one of our base locations across the county, but your work is unlikely to be limited to this area, and you will be required to work flexibly across other districts. We have venues across the whole of Essex, some are in more rural, harder to reach locations and due to the nature of the role, you will be required to travel between venues within a specified timeframe, therefore you must be able to drive and have access to your own vehicle.
Being an integral component during important milestones in our customers lives, it is vital that you ensure that customers receive high-quality and exceptional customer service across our suite of Wedding, Civil Partnership, and non-statutory ceremonies. Working with customers at life changing and emotional times requires intuition, sensitivity, and enhanced organisational and people skills. Our Ceremony Officers should possess
About the Company
Essex County Council forms one level of local government within the county of Essex. We work with other local authorities, as well as regional, national and international authorities, to deliver services and represent the best interests of the people of the county.
For information about services please visit www.essex.gov.uk.
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