Senior Funeral Director (Funeral Branch Manager)
Location: Selim Smith Funeral Directors, covering Cheltenham and Gloucester
Salary: Up to £35,000 per annum
Employment: Full Time; includes on-call rota
Why This Role Matters
Every branch is built on trust — trust from families, colleagues and the wider community. As Funeral Branch Manager, you are the standard-setter. Around 70% of your time will be spent delivering and overseeing funeral services. The remaining time will focus on leading people, maintaining operational control, managing compliance and ensuring the branch performs both commercially and professionally.
Your Impact
Lead and Support Funeral Services
- Deliver complex funeral arrangements with professionalism and empathy
- Guide families clearly through options and next steps
- Run pre‑funeral briefings and oversee service delivery
- Observe arrangements and funerals to uphold care standards
Manage and Develop the Team
- Lead recruitment, onboarding and ongoing 1:1 performance conversations
- Manage rotas, holiday and sickness cover
- Ensure regulatory training and compliance standards are met
- Embed accountability, professionalism and ownership
- Support succession planning and development
Drive Operational Excellence
- Oversee branch standards and high‑quality care of the deceased
- Maintain accurate records and legal documentation
- Ensure inspection readiness and regulatory compliance
- Monitor costs including overtime and hire cars
- Identify service improvements and implement change
Build Local Presence
- Lead local marketing activity
- Develop relationships with care homes, celebrants and community groups
- Represent the branch at memorials and events
- Promote services in a supportive, consultative way
What We’re Looking For
- Experience leading and developing teams in service‑led environments
- A strong track record of maintaining standards and compliance
- Confidence operating within regulated or policy‑driven environments
- Commercial awareness and comfort working with targets and cost control
- Strong organisational and documentation skills
- Calm decision‑making in emotionally sensitive situations
- A full UK driving licence
- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and on‑call
Funeral Sector Experience Is Desirable But Not Essential.
We are open to candidates from other regulated, service‑focused industries where high standards, community engagement and people leadership are central.
What We Offer
- Comprehensive induction and structured development
- Opportunity to complete professional qualifications via our apprenticeship programme
- Bonus potential
- Life assurance cover
- Employee Assistance Programme
- 30‑33 days holiday (including Bank Holidays)
- Contributory pension scheme
- Relocation package considered
FCA Statement
The FCA regulates us so that some roles may be subject to background checks.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement
We know that diverse teams make better decisions, build better products, and create a more inclusive and better place to work. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, and whatever your life looks like, we’d love to hear from you. And if there’s anything you need to make the process more accessible, please let us know.
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