CEO
National Association of Funeral Directors
Solihull head office with home working
£90,000 - £110,000.
Established in 1905, the NAFD represents the entire spectrum of funeral directing businesses, including independent and family-owned firms, co-operatives and major funeral groups. NAFD represents more than 4,100 UK funeral homes, as well as international firms and suppliers to the sector – providing advice, advocacy, education and support to help them meet the highest professional standards.
The Role
You will be joining the NAFD at an important time in its 117 years of history. The funeral sector has undergone a period of transformational change over the past five years, including the introduction of regulation by both the Competition and Markets Authority and Financial Conduct Authority, the evolution of services in response to consumer demand for personalised, bespoke funerals, increased use of technology in the arranging of funerals, and a significant rise in the direct cremation market. The NAFD was at the forefront of the sector’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, advising all four governments of the UK on the myriad of issues that arose due to the excess deaths to which the pandemic gave rise.
Last year we published our first ever 5 Year Strategy, set up a new independent organisation to oversee inspection activity, and began a major overhaul of our education offering. We are now looking for an inspirational leader who can drive the next phase of our change programme, revitalise our membership offering, as well as deal with significant regulatory and policy issues across the 4 nations.
There will be plenty of challenges:
- Updating our membership services so we continue to offer excellent support to large corporates and small family- run independent firms;
- Continuing the overhaul of our education and training provision to reach more people working in the funeral sector;
- Influencing policy makers and others about the right regulatory framework to encourage innovation and reassure consumers about high standards;
- Acting as the robust and respected voice for the sector working in partnership with members, broader stakeholders and those representing the bereaved and consumers
If you care about promoting high standards, providing resources to support our members, ensuring consumers can make informed decisions – and have the vision, skills and experience – we would be very pleased to hear from you.
