Managing Funeral Director

Sinai Memorial Chapel Chevra Kadisha

March 2025 

SUMMARY

Sinai Memorial Chapel Chevra Kadisha (Sinai) is a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit funeral home and cemetery organization serving the Jewish community with several locations including Colma, Lafayette, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Oakland, and Briones. We are seeking a Managing Funeral Director to join our staff and support our family of funeral homes and cemeteries. 

ESSENTIAL JOB PURPOSE

In this role, you will ensure that all funeral arrangements overseen by Sinai Memorial Chapel Chevra Kadisha in the region meet Sinai’s standards and comply with state and local requirements.  Oversee and be actively involved in all activities related to funeral services and burials, including preparing remains and working with families and other key partners on funeral arrangements and funeral-related purchases.  Manage, develop, and supervise a team of Funeral Directors, Cemetery Administrators, and Support Staff. Oversee and be actively involved with the responsibilities of counseling families regarding funeral arrangements, costs, and casket and burial plot purchases, including acting on behalf of families to coordinate with clergy, medical office staff, physicians, coroner’s office personnel, cemeteries staff, crematories, merchandise vendors and government offices. 

In addition, this position oversees sales at one or more cemeteries, builds and sustains relationships with various Jewish organizations and groups, represents Sinai at various events and external meetings, conducts outreach to build awareness of Sinai and its services in the community, is a member of Sinai’s Management team, supports development of annual budget and workplan, and monitors staff performance.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage internal Sinai workflow and overall employee teamwork associated with first calls and a wide array of Jewish preferences for funeral arrangements
• Oversee, manage and actively participate in the scheduling of appointments, meetings, services and burials to meet the needs of various stakeholders
• Hands-on direction and oversight of all funeral arrangements and services, cremations and burials.
• Assure the proper completion of all legal documents based on industry rules and regulations, and local, state and federal laws governing deaths and funerals
• Hire, supervise, and develop a team including funeral directors, cemetery sales staff, and support staff.
• Responsible for the planning and management of staff schedules and vacations
• Support the development of budgets and monitor spending and financial performance of the mortuary, and the sales and marketing functions of the cemetery
• Coordinate and integrate all funeral home processes
• Assure proper coordination with integral outside providers, clergy and vendors
• Oversee, monitor and coordinate reordering of merchandise and supplies needed for daily, weekly, monthly operations
• Willingness to be available as needed for evening hours and holidays to assist families in need
• Oversight and project management of capital and work process improvements
• Other tasks as required

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS  

• Thorough knowledge of the funeral industry, Jewish funeral and burial traditions, and state and local funeral and burial requirements
• Ability to manage and direct a staff of Funeral Directors, Embalmers, administration, and support personnel in all departments and locations.
• Knowledge of cemetery sales and marketing, and ability to ensure accurate plot management
• High level of attention to detail
• Attention to security and public safety in the mortuary and at funeral services
• Mortuary college or four-year college degree.
• CA Funeral Director’s License required; Embalmer’s License preferred
• Ability to handle multiple tasks at any given time, and coordinate multiple processes across departments
• Professional attitude and appearance, and skillful direction of funeral services

EXPECTATIONS

• Ability to maintain personal and organizational equilibrium in the presence of death, dying, and the preparation of remains for burial.
• Ability to work gently but effectively with individuals doing pre-need planning and with upset, grieving families; the ability to anticipate and provide what they will need.
• Ability to effectively represent families’ requirements and preferences to clergy and others who will be involved in planning and completing a funeral and burial.
• Sensitivity to the physical toll that grief exacts and to the physical health and needs of grieving families and friends.
• Sensitivity to various time constraints and deadlines related to work.
• Sense of appropriateness under the circumstances; ability to make sound judgments.
• Ability to complete and file all required paperwork.
• Ability to physically navigate Sinai’s various funeral home environments in San Francisco, Palo Alto and Lafayette, and the cemeteries where Sinai burials occur. This involves walking on various indoor and outdoor surfaces, including grass, climbing stairs, and using elevators.
• Ability to stand and/or walk for up to 3 hours at a time.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. without assistance, and 250 lbs. with assistance.
• Ability to frequently bend, stoop, reach overhead and low.
• Ability to be outdoors in all kinds of weather.
• Knowledge of required religious, local and state paperwork to efficiently complete burials and transport/shipment of remains.
• Ability to safely drive various Sinai vehicles, including funeral coaches.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment: computers, printers, copy machines, phone systems, cell phones and other communication devices.
• Ability to solve minor mechanical and logistical problems.
• Ability to work any shift and any day of the week.
• Ability to coordinate with local law enforcement.

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $90,000 to $105,000 per year. Comprehensive medical and dental benefits included, as well as generous paid time off and retirement benefits.

APPLICATION

Qualified candidates should send resume.

Sinai provides equal employment opportunities and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by Federal, state, or local laws.