Funeral Director

SCI Shared Resources•Lake Zurich, IL

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Funeral Director compassionately facilitates funeral arrangement discussions with the deceased’s next of kin and presides over visitation, funeral, and graveside services in accordance with family wishes, company expectations, and applicable laws. As the licensed Funeral Director, the role is responsible for compliance with mortuary, health, and vital statistics regulations within the funeral establishment(s). The position works under general guidance, with new associates learning to apply licensure in the business environment and collaborating with peers or a manager for assistance and guidance. The role receives or initiates calls to next of kin, gathers or confirms information, discusses needs, schedules arrangement appointments, and may perform removals or transfers. It conducts arrangement conferences, discusses available insurance and benefits, promotes funeral, cemetery, crematory, and related services and merchandise, and may handle counselor/advisor duties in their absence. The Funeral Director presides over services, checks that arrangements meet contractual and family expectations, and interacts with families and guests. Event planning duties include arranging resources such as music, flowers, and catering; producing memorial products, presentations, obituaries, and online memorials; preparing and cleaning event spaces; and delivering family memorabilia. The position may also perform attendant duties or represent the location at community and charity events. Work takes place indoors and outdoors in all seasons and weather. Professional business attire is required when in contact with families. Availability may need to extend beyond normal business hours; nights and weekends are frequently necessary. The role requires frequent periods of sitting or standing for up to six hours per day, frequent stair climbing, manual dexterity, and the ability to push and pull up to 150 pounds on flat or inclined flooring or ramps.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school or college of mortuary science.
Current Funeral Director license in the practicing state.
Valid state driver’s license with an acceptable driving record to operate company-owned vehicles.
Ability to reason, plan, identify problems, learn quickly and from experience, and apply learning to new situations.
Process- and results-oriented approach, with motivation to move projects forward by removing obstacles and exploring alternatives.
Positive attitude, self-motivation, and drive to continually advance understanding of the industry and business.
Ability to build professional, trusting business relationships.
Professional written and verbal communication skills.
Public speaking skills and ability to influence and gain consensus.
Proficiency using databases in automated processes and Microsoft Office.
Ability to push and pull up to 150 pounds on flat and inclined flooring or ramps.
Availability for services outside normal business hours, including frequent nights and weekends.

Nice To Haves

Industry experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Receive or initiate calls to the deceased’s next of kin; gather or confirm contact information and needs, schedule arrangement appointments, and send confirmations.
Perform removals or transfers when needed, care for the deceased respectfully, and update removal status in proprietary software.
Greet next of kin and conduct arrangement conferences, assessing needs and summarizing desired outcomes.
Discuss available life insurance and benefits, including veteran benefits, and promote funeral, cemetery, crematory, and related services and merchandise.
Transition arrangement conferences to a Funeral Services Counselor/Advisor; perform those responsibilities in their absence and review and authorize merchandise and service contract revisions.
Confirm authorization to proceed with service arrangements and preside over visitations, funerals, and graveside services as Master of Ceremonies.
Attend graveside services included in the purchase agreement and be present when the casket is placed in a grave, crypt, or burial vault; verify personal belongings are removed according to the arrangements.
Visually inspect the deceased and services, make or communicate adjustments as needed, and initiate corrective action to align services with contracts and family expectations.
Interact with families to fulfill death-care requests and obtain leads for pre-need services.
Plan events and arrange resources such as music, flowers, and catering.
Produce memorial products, including scanning photos, ordering memorabilia or stationery, creating electronic presentations, writing obituaries, and creating online memorials.
Prepare event rooms and, after events, clean and store items, identify property needing repair, and deliver family memorabilia.
Perform attendant duties such as parking lot attendant, driver, usher, pallbearer, or courier when needed.
Attend community or charity events to represent and promote the location or market.
Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations; discuss assignments, expectations, priorities, and deadlines with the manager; seek guidance, manage workload, adapt to changes, and take on additional responsibilities as assigned.