Funeral Director

Life Services Group; East Grinstead; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to 25 days leave

Annual bonus £300–£500

4% matched pension

Life assurance 2x salary

Staff shopping & eyecare perks

Employee Assistance Programme

Training & apprenticeship pathways

Free on-site parking

Job summary

Dignity Funeral Directors is seeking an experienced Funeral Director to oversee funeral operations at Chappell & Rice Funeral Directors, East Grinstead. You will manage services end-to-end and support families through difficult times with compassion and professionalism.

You will coordinate teams, ensure regulatory compliance, and engage with local communities to promote the brand. A Full UK Driving Licence and flexible weekend/on-call availability are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience leading funerals and supporting families.
• Full UK Driving Licence (essential).
• In-depth knowledge of funeral processes, legal and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organisational skills.
• Calm under pressure with a respectful, compassionate approach to service.
• Physically capable of manual handling tasks, including coffin bearing.
• Able to work flexibly, including weekends and on-call.
• PC literate – Microsoft Office, Outlook and internal databases (training provided).

Responsibilities

• Lead funeral services with professionalism and attention to detail.
• Run pre-funeral briefings to ensure clear understanding and coordination.
• Offer a consultative approach—exploring options for families.
• Collaborate with arrangers, specialists, FDs and care teams.
• Support the diary, resources and records management.
• Assist with coffin preparation and chapel duties as required.
• Provide leadership and mentoring to junior team members.
• Engage with local community and promote the brand within the community.

Skills

Funeral leadership

Family support

Regulatory knowledge

Communication

Team leadership

Job description

Position: Funeral Director
Location: Chappell & Rice Funeral Directors, East Grinstead
Job Type: (Full-time, permanent)
Salary: £30,854.12 per annum including additional payments

We’re looking for an experienced and compassionate individual to join our team as a Funeral Director at our Chappell & Rice Funeral Directors , East Grinstead. You’ll oversee funeral operations and ensure every service is delivered to the highest standard, while supporting families through one of life’s most challenging moments. As a representative of both the local brand and the wider Dignity Group, you’ll also play an essential role in engaging with the local community and building trusted relationships.

Why This Role Matters

This role requires expert knowledge of funeral processes, care of the deceased, and legal and regulatory requirements, as well as a deep respect for individuals' cultural and religious beliefs. You’ll coordinate teams with care, take accountability for delivering services to the highest standard, and lead by example every day.

Your Impact and Responsibilities

As a Funeral Director, you are a calm, confident presence at the heart of our funeral care. You’ll support families through one of the most emotional experiences of their lives, helping them feel informed, respected, and cared for.

From the first meeting to the day of the funeral and beyond, you’ll guide them through their options with clarity and compassion, supporting aftercare, ashes, memorialisation and funeral plans.

• Lead funeral services with professionalism and attention to detail
• Run pre-funeral briefings to ensure everything is clearly understood and well-coordinated
• Offer a consultative approach - helping families explore available options and understand what’s possible
• Collaborate with arrangers, specialists, FDs and care teams
• Support the team in managing the diary, resources and records
• Assist with coffin preparation, handling of the deceased, and chapel duties where required
• Provide leadership and mentoring to less experienced team members, sharing learning, and taking part in training and development
• Support with local community engagement and promotion of the brand you represent - build relationships with care homes, celebrants and local religious and ethnic groups.
• Act as a liaison with service and client delivery to ensure seamless scheduling and service coordination.

Skills and Knowledge

We’re looking for someone with/is:

• Previous experience leading funerals, working with the deceased and supporting families.
• A Full UK Driving Licence (essential).
• In-depth knowledge of funeral processes, legal and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organisational skills.
• Calm under pressure with a respectful, compassionate approach to service.
• Physically capable of manual handling tasks, including coffin bearing.
• Able to work flexibly, including weekends and on-call.
• PC Literate – Able to use a range of IT systems, including Microsoft Office, Outlook and internal databases (training provided).

What you can expect from us

We believe in rewarding our colleagues with a strong, supportive benefits package that helps you feel secure, valued and able to grow.

• Time to recharge – Up to 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with service) plus bank holidays, giving you the time you need to rest and reset.
• A little extra reward – Opportunity to earn a yearly bonus of up to £300–£500 in recognition of your contribution.
• Planning for your future – 4% matched pension to help you build long-term financial security.
• Peace of mind – Life assurance cover at 2x your salary to support your loved ones.
• Everyday savings and perks – Access to MyStaffShop, our employee rewards platform, offering savings across high street and online retailers, alongside eyecare support, flu jab reimbursement and lifestyle discounts.
• Support when you need it – Access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, occupational health services and confidential counselling.
• Learn and grow with us – Ongoing training and development, including internal learning pathways and apprenticeship opportunities.
• Making work easier – Free on-site parking available at most of our locations.

Why Dignity Funerals

Dignity Funeral Directors helps families say goodbye to the people they love with simplicity, dignity, kindness and exceptional care. Every day, our funeral teams support families through some of life’s hardest moments. As part of Life Services Group, Dignity Funeral Directors brings our three EVP pillars to life: meaningful work, being there when families need us most; grow with us, through training, support and career-building; and shape the future, by making funeral care more connected, modern and human.

Dignity Funeral Directors is part of Life Services Group; the group bringing together Dignity Funeral Directors, CMG, Simplicity Cremations, Dignity Legal Services and Farewill. Together, we can support families across more of the end-of-life journey, while each brand keeps the name, identity and community connection people already know. For Dignity Funeral Directors, that means more investment in better training, stronger local support and better tools for our funeral teams, so colleagues can grow with us and do their best work for families.

You’ll be part of a close-knit team who look out for each other, take real pride in their work and play a direct part in shaping a better experience for families in your community. No two days are the same, and the work you do is noticed and valued.

If you want meaningful work, the chance to grow with us and a role where you can help shape the future of funeral care, find your Life’s work.

FCA Statement

Dignity is part of a group that includes FCA-regulated activities, and some roles may be subject to relevant training, screening, conduct, and regulatory requirements. This will be confirmed as part of the recruitment process.

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.

Any unsolicited submissions from agencies will be accepted as a direct application from the candidate, and no fees will be payable.

We reserve the right, depending on the number of applications received, to close or extend the closing dates for positions; therefore, we recommend submitting your application early.