Occupation · SOC 11-9171
Funeral Home Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate the services or resources of funeral homes. Includes activities such as determining prices for services or merchandise and managing the facilities of funeral homes.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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—
Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
41 mapped
Core skills
Service OrientationSocial PerceptivenessActive ListeningTime ManagementReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingJudgment and Decision MakingManagement of Personnel Resources
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementEnglish LanguageAdministrativeEconomics and Accounting
Technology & tools
Video creation and editing softwareData base user interface and query softwareElectronic mail softwareAccounting softwarePresentation software
Representative tasks
Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.Schedule funerals, burials, or cremations.Deliver death certificates to medical facilities or offices to obtain signatures from legally authorized persons.Offer counsel and comfort to families and friends of the deceased.Monitor funeral service operations to ensure that they comply with applicable policies, regulations, and laws.Direct and supervise work of embalmers, funeral attendants, death certificate clerks, cosmetologists, or other staff.Complete and maintain records, such as state-required documents, tracking documents, or product inventories.Sell funeral services, products, or merchandise to clients.Plan and implement changes to service offerings to meet community needs or increase funeral home revenues.Respond to customer complaints, legal inquiries, payment negotiations, or other post-service matters.Negotiate contracts for prearranged funeral services.Explain goals, policies, or procedures to staff members.Schedule work hours for funeral home or contract employees.Set prices or credit terms for funeral products or services.Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to identify opportunities for cost reductions or service improvements.Interview and hire new employees.Identify skill development needs for funeral home staff.Direct or monitor administrative, support, repair, or maintenance services for funeral homes.Set marketing, sales, or other financial goals for funeral service establishments and monitor progress toward these goals.Attend or make presentations at community events to promote funeral home services or build community relationships.Evaluate the performance of vendors, contract employees, or other service providers to ensure quality and cost-efficiency.Conduct market research and analyze industry trends.Plan and implement sales promotions or other marketing strategies and activities for funeral home operations.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Funeral arrangement intake forms — complete and submit under direct supervisor review in a licensed funeral home setting.Casket and merchandise options — identify and present to families using a standard product catalog under staff guidance.Death certificate documents — deliver to medical facilities or offices following established routing procedures with supervisor direction.Scheduled funeral and cremation timelines — coordinate basic logistics by following a pre-established checklist in a funeral home environment.Obituary notice details — gather and verify from family members using a structured interview template under direct supervision.State-required documentation — locate and organize applicable regulatory forms under the guidance of a licensed funeral director.Funeral attendant and staff duties — observe and assist during services to learn standard operational workflows in a mortuary setting.Basic grief-support language — apply scripted comfort statements when interacting with bereaved families in an initial intake setting.Office suite and word processing software — enter service records and correspondence data under the direction of experienced administrative staff.Funeral home policies and regulations — recognize and reference applicable rules when handling routine tasks under direct oversight.
developing
Funeral service arrangements — consult independently with families to select services, caskets, and obituary wording in a community funeral home.Burial and cremation scheduling — coordinate timelines across multiple vendors, clergy, and cemetery staff with minimal supervisory review.Staff assignments for funeral attendants and embalmers — organize daily work schedules using human resources software in a mid-sized funeral home.State and local compliance requirements — monitor service operations routinely to ensure adherence to applicable regulations in a licensed facility.Client-facing funeral product presentations — sell and explain service packages to families using persuasive communication in a planning consultation.Inventory and product records — maintain accurate tracking documents and supply counts using spreadsheet software in an active mortuary office.Death certificates and legally required forms — process and follow up on signatures from authorized medical personnel with limited oversight.Empathetic counseling conversations — offer comfort and emotional support to grieving families during arrangement conferences in a private consultation room.Electronic mail and database software — manage client records, correspondence, and follow-up communications in a funeral home administrative system.Problem situations during active services — apply critical thinking to resolve scheduling conflicts or staffing gaps in a time-sensitive funeral environment.
proficient
Complex family arrangement consultations — facilitate sensitive discussions encompassing cultural, religious, and financial considerations autonomously in a full-service funeral home.Full staff supervision — direct and evaluate embalmers, cosmetologists, clerks, and attendants across all service lines in a multi-staff funeral operation.Regulatory compliance audits — assess funeral home operations against state licensing requirements and implement corrective actions without external direction.Non-routine grief situations — apply advanced social perceptiveness and counseling judgment to support families experiencing traumatic or complicated losses.Pre-need and at-need sales strategy — develop and execute individualized service proposals that align family needs with pricing structures in a competitive market.Comprehensive recordkeeping systems — design and maintain accurate state-required documentation, inventory logs, and financial records using accounting and database software.Multi-service day coordination — manage concurrent funerals, cremations, and visitations by allocating staff and resources across a busy funeral home schedule.Staff training and instruction — instruct new funeral attendants and administrative personnel on procedures, regulations, and client service standards in an on-the-job setting.Vendor and cemetery negotiations — negotiate pricing, scheduling, and service agreements with suppliers and burial facility representatives on behalf of the funeral home.Presentation of service information — deliver clear, written, and verbal explanations of funeral options and legal requirements to diverse family audiences in arrangement sessions.
advanced
Funeral home strategic direction — establish operational goals, service expansion plans, and community positioning for a funeral home business at the ownership or executive level.Organizational compliance culture — develop and enforce enterprise-wide policies ensuring full alignment with state funeral service regulations across multiple staff roles.Leadership and staff development programs — design training curricula and mentorship pathways for emerging funeral directors using instructional best practices in a vocational context.Financial performance oversight — analyze revenue, cost structures, and pre-need contract portfolios using accounting software to sustain the funeral home's long-term viability.Community grief-support initiatives — lead outreach programs and partnerships with hospices, hospitals, and faith communities to extend the funeral home's counseling presence.Human resources strategy — implement hiring, performance evaluation, and retention systems for a full funeral home team using HR software and personnel management principles.Multi-location service coordination — direct operations, staff, and compliance activities across geographically distributed funeral home branches at an organizational scale.Technology and workflow modernization — evaluate and implement video creation, database, and presentation software solutions to improve client service and administrative efficiency.Industry and regulatory advocacy — represent the funeral home in professional associations and engage with licensing boards to shape standards affecting the occupation.Executive-level client relations — resolve escalated family disputes, complex legal concerns, and high-profile service situations with authoritative judgment and organizational accountability.
Also known as
67 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Advanced Planning DirectorAerospace Medical Service (Air Force 4N0X1)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice (Air Force 4N031)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N031G)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Allergy/Immunization Technician (Air Force 4N031D)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Flight and Operational Medical Technician (Air Force 4N031F)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N031C)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N031H)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N031B)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman (Air Force 4N071)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N071G)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, Allergy/Immunization Technician (Air Force 4N071D)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, Flight and Operational Medical Technician (Air Force 4N071F)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N071C)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N071H)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N071B)Aerospace Medical Service Helper (Air Force 4N011)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N011G)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Allergy/Immunization Technician (Air Force 4N011D)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Flight and Operational Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011F)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011C)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N011H)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011B)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman (Air Force 4N051)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N051G)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Allergy/Immunization Technician (Air Force 4N051D)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Flight and Operational Medical Technician (Air Force 4N051F)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N051C)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N051H)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N051B)Aerospace Medical Service Superintendent (Air Force 4N091)Arranging Funeral DirectorFatality Management Officer (Marine Corps 0408)Funeral CounselorFuneral DirectorFuneral Home DirectorFuneral Home GM (Funeral Home General Manager)Funeral Home Location ManagerFuneral Home ManagerFuneral Home Owner