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Funeral Home Managers

SOC 11-9171.00Job Zone 3 · Medium Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers the full professional range of Funeral Home Managers operating in licensed mortuary and funeral service environments, from initial arrangement support under supervision through executive leadership of multi-staff, multi-service funeral operations.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Funeral arrangement intake forms — complete and submit under direct supervisor review in a licensed funeral home setting.
  2. Casket and merchandise options — identify and present to families using a standard product catalog under staff guidance.
  3. Death certificate documents — deliver to medical facilities or offices following established routing procedures with supervisor direction.
  4. Scheduled funeral and cremation timelines — coordinate basic logistics by following a pre-established checklist in a funeral home environment.
  5. Obituary notice details — gather and verify from family members using a structured interview template under direct supervision.
  6. State-required documentation — locate and organize applicable regulatory forms under the guidance of a licensed funeral director.
  7. Funeral attendant and staff duties — observe and assist during services to learn standard operational workflows in a mortuary setting.
  8. Basic grief-support language — apply scripted comfort statements when interacting with bereaved families in an initial intake setting.
  9. Office suite and word processing software — enter service records and correspondence data under the direction of experienced administrative staff.
  10. Funeral home policies and regulations — recognize and reference applicable rules when handling routine tasks under direct oversight.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Funeral service arrangements — consult independently with families to select services, caskets, and obituary wording in a community funeral home.
  2. Burial and cremation scheduling — coordinate timelines across multiple vendors, clergy, and cemetery staff with minimal supervisory review.
  3. Staff assignments for funeral attendants and embalmers — organize daily work schedules using human resources software in a mid-sized funeral home.
  4. State and local compliance requirements — monitor service operations routinely to ensure adherence to applicable regulations in a licensed facility.
  5. Client-facing funeral product presentations — sell and explain service packages to families using persuasive communication in a planning consultation.
  6. Inventory and product records — maintain accurate tracking documents and supply counts using spreadsheet software in an active mortuary office.
  7. Death certificates and legally required forms — process and follow up on signatures from authorized medical personnel with limited oversight.
  8. Empathetic counseling conversations — offer comfort and emotional support to grieving families during arrangement conferences in a private consultation room.
  9. Electronic mail and database software — manage client records, correspondence, and follow-up communications in a funeral home administrative system.
  10. Problem situations during active services — apply critical thinking to resolve scheduling conflicts or staffing gaps in a time-sensitive funeral environment.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex family arrangement consultations — facilitate sensitive discussions encompassing cultural, religious, and financial considerations autonomously in a full-service funeral home.
  2. Full staff supervision — direct and evaluate embalmers, cosmetologists, clerks, and attendants across all service lines in a multi-staff funeral operation.
  3. Regulatory compliance audits — assess funeral home operations against state licensing requirements and implement corrective actions without external direction.
  4. Non-routine grief situations — apply advanced social perceptiveness and counseling judgment to support families experiencing traumatic or complicated losses.
  5. Pre-need and at-need sales strategy — develop and execute individualized service proposals that align family needs with pricing structures in a competitive market.
  6. Comprehensive recordkeeping systems — design and maintain accurate state-required documentation, inventory logs, and financial records using accounting and database software.
  7. Multi-service day coordination — manage concurrent funerals, cremations, and visitations by allocating staff and resources across a busy funeral home schedule.
  8. Staff training and instruction — instruct new funeral attendants and administrative personnel on procedures, regulations, and client service standards in an on-the-job setting.
  9. Vendor and cemetery negotiations — negotiate pricing, scheduling, and service agreements with suppliers and burial facility representatives on behalf of the funeral home.
  10. Presentation of service information — deliver clear, written, and verbal explanations of funeral options and legal requirements to diverse family audiences in arrangement sessions.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Funeral home strategic direction — establish operational goals, service expansion plans, and community positioning for a funeral home business at the ownership or executive level.
  2. Organizational compliance culture — develop and enforce enterprise-wide policies ensuring full alignment with state funeral service regulations across multiple staff roles.
  3. Leadership and staff development programs — design training curricula and mentorship pathways for emerging funeral directors using instructional best practices in a vocational context.
  4. Financial performance oversight — analyze revenue, cost structures, and pre-need contract portfolios using accounting software to sustain the funeral home's long-term viability.
  5. Community grief-support initiatives — lead outreach programs and partnerships with hospices, hospitals, and faith communities to extend the funeral home's counseling presence.
  6. Human resources strategy — implement hiring, performance evaluation, and retention systems for a full funeral home team using HR software and personnel management principles.
  7. Multi-location service coordination — direct operations, staff, and compliance activities across geographically distributed funeral home branches at an organizational scale.
  8. Technology and workflow modernization — evaluate and implement video creation, database, and presentation software solutions to improve client service and administrative efficiency.
  9. Industry and regulatory advocacy — represent the funeral home in professional associations and engage with licensing boards to shape standards affecting the occupation.
  10. Executive-level client relations — resolve escalated family disputes, complex legal concerns, and high-profile service situations with authoritative judgment and organizational accountability.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Advanced Planning Director · Arranging Funeral Director · Funeral Counselor · Funeral Director · Funeral Home Director · Funeral Home GM (Funeral Home General Manager) · Funeral Home Location Manager · Funeral Home Manager · Funeral Home Owner · Funeral Sales Manager · Funeral Service Manager · Licensed Funeral Director
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
Service OrientationSocial PerceptivenessActive ListeningTime ManagementReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingJudgment and Decision MakingManagement of Personnel ResourcesSpeakingCoordinationMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingWritingPersuasionNegotiationInstructing
Knowledge domains
Customer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementEnglish LanguageAdministrativeEconomics and AccountingSales and MarketingPsychologyPersonnel and Human ResourcesComputers and ElectronicsEducation and TrainingBiologyMathematicsLaw and GovernmentCommunications and Media
Abilities
Oral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionOral ExpressionWritten ExpressionProblem SensitivitySpeech ClarityNear VisionSpeech RecognitionDeductive ReasoningInformation Ordering
Work styles
DependabilityEmpathyCooperationSincerityIntegritySelf-Control
Technology
Video creation and editing softwareData base user interface and query softwareElectronic mail softwareAccounting softwarePresentation softwareHuman resources softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareWord processing softwareInternet browser software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
  2. Schedule funerals, burials, or cremations.
  3. Deliver death certificates to medical facilities or offices to obtain signatures from legally authorized persons.
  4. Offer counsel and comfort to families and friends of the deceased.
  5. Monitor funeral service operations to ensure that they comply with applicable policies, regulations, and laws.
  6. Direct and supervise work of embalmers, funeral attendants, death certificate clerks, cosmetologists, or other staff.
  7. Complete and maintain records, such as state-required documents, tracking documents, or product inventories.
  8. Sell funeral services, products, or merchandise to clients.
CIP education codes
12.030112.030212.0399

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.