Funeral Home Manager

Service Corporation International•Lakewood, NJ

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Manage the daily operations of a single funeral home location and line of business. Foster ownership and staff pride, manage costs, encourage profitable case-volume growth, and achieve short-term plans, annual sales revenue and production targets, and Profit & Loss goals. Develop an effective staff and exceed client family expectations. The manager oversees financial planning and monitoring, daily operations, facility upkeep, service arrangements and directing as applicable, and staff leadership and development. The role works with Market Leadership, Finance, local management, Corporate Departments, and other stakeholders to meet business goals, improve operations, and support the needs of client families.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Funeral Director license as required by state or provincial law and the applicable state board.
At least five years of industry experience with increasing responsibilities.
At least two years of experience guiding staff and communicating expectations.
Ability to work evenings, nights, and weekends.
Industry knowledge and financial acumen.
Proficiency in the MS Office suite.
Professional interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity, and tact when interacting with customers and resolving escalated issues.
Leadership skills and desire to manage people.
Cognitive ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly and analytically, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly, learn from experience, and apply learning to new situations.
Process- and results-oriented approach, with motivation to keep projects moving by removing obstacles and exploring alternatives.
Ability to create clear presentations and data visualizations to support decision-making and problem analysis.
Positive attitude, motivation to advance understanding of the industry and business, and strong self-motivation.
Professional written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, collaboration, and negotiation.
Proficient working knowledge of HMIS, InfoPort, and CarePoint.

Nice To Haves

Technical diploma in Funeral Services or Mortuary Science.
Bachelor's degree in Mortuary Science or another degree required by applicable state or provincial law and the relevant board.
Prior experience managing people.
Budgeting and expense control experience.

Responsibilities

Work with Market Leadership to develop the annual business plan, budget, financial and production goals, and revenue goals; prepare operational and personnel budgets.
Communicate company and market strategies, values, and goals to staff and translate goals into local action plans.
Collaborate with the Finance Field Manager to monitor financial trends and identify ways to achieve financial goals.
Approve expenditures and invoices and manage overtime expenses.
Manage daily operations by communicating expectations, delegating work, setting priorities, and reviewing and revising schedules to support on-time services and annual goals.
Resolve escalated customer issues and ensure operations comply with regulations, procedures, and policies.
Collaborate with local management, Market Leadership, and Corporate Departments on resource sharing, business and operational improvements, and product, process, and technology needs.
Participate in community, civic, or other organizations as part of local promotional efforts.
Maintain facilities and grounds in clean, manicured, and working order, and budget appropriately for repairs to equipment and furniture.
Plan and implement annual initiatives that may affect resources or goals across locations; work with stakeholders to understand needs and constraints and negotiate solutions.
Identify and implement innovative efficiency improvements and support change initiatives.
May receive or initiate calls to a deceased person's next of kin and facilitate arrangements conferences with empathy, assessing needs and summarizing desired outcomes.
Discuss available life insurance and benefits, including veterans' benefits, and promote funeral, cemetery, and crematory services and merchandise.
May serve as Master of Ceremonies for visitation, funeral, or graveside services in a professional, organized, and caring manner consistent with company standards.
Confirm authorization for services and, when present at burial, verify that personal belongings are removed from the deceased before burial in accordance with arrangements.
Develop a strong, reliable team through oversight, guidance, coaching, regular feedback, and tracking development progress.
Understand team members' career aspirations and provide assignments to develop skills or address gaps; use a proactive, collaborative management style to support engagement and reduce turnover.
Screen internal and external candidates and hire or promote staff; recommend pay increases, special pays, and career advancements.
Build effective business relationships across the organization.