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 ComprehensionSpeakingManagement of Personnel ResourcesJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingMonitoringCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingWritingPersuasionNegotiationInstructingLearning StrategiesActive LearningMathematicsManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringOperation and ControlTroubleshootingTechnology DesignScienceProgrammingOperations AnalysisEquipment SelectionRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementEnglish LanguageAdministrativeEconomics and AccountingSales and MarketingPsychologyPersonnel and Human ResourcesComputers and ElectronicsEducation and TrainingBiologyMathematicsLaw and GovernmentCommunications and MediaSociology and AnthropologyChemistryTherapy and CounselingPublic Safety and SecurityTransportationPhilosophy and TheologyTelecommunicationsMedicine and DentistryMechanicalProduction and ProcessingGeographyDesignForeign LanguagePhysicsEngineering and TechnologyBuilding and ConstructionHistory and ArcheologyFine ArtsFood Production
Technology & tools
CSR Consultants Cemetery Management SCCodeJam MemoriesOnTVEmail softwareFPA Software MACCSFinancial reporting softwareHMIS AdvantageMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordMortware ProfessionalTwin Tiers Technologies CIMSTwin Tiers Technologies MIMSWeb browser softwarefuneralOne Life TributesiCIMS Talent Cloud software
Representative tasks
Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsGetting InformationAssisting and Caring for OthersEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersThinking CreativelyCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProcessing InformationPerforming Administrative ActivitiesWorking with ComputersUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsScheduling Work and ActivitiesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationDocumenting/Recording InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleTraining and Teaching OthersHandling and Moving ObjectsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesCoaching and Developing OthersInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesDeveloping and Building TeamsInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentSelling or Influencing OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesAnalyzing Data or InformationControlling Machines and ProcessesEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationStaffing Organizational UnitsRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
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
15 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Advanced Planning DirectorArranging Funeral DirectorFuneral CounselorFuneral DirectorFuneral Home DirectorFuneral Home GM (Funeral Home General Manager)Funeral Home Location ManagerFuneral Home ManagerFuneral Home OwnerFuneral Sales ManagerFuneral Service ManagerLicensed Funeral DirectorLocation ManagerMortuary Operations Manager (Mortuary Ops Manager)Prearranged Funeral Sales Manager