Area Support Centre Manager

We have an exciting opportunity to join our team as an Area Support Centre Manager centred at our Hinton site. In this role you will cover areas including Isle of Wight, Hinton, Poole & Wimborne, Frome, Gillingham, Shaftesbury & Warminster. Flexibility to cover across the wider area may be required for time to time.

As an Area Support Centre Manager, you are required to hold a full driving licence valid in the UK. You’ll manage, develop and mentor the Funeral Service Operatives team so client expectations are exceeded by delivering the best end of life client experience throughout all Support Centres and back of house operations.

What we’re looking for

Your day-to-day tasks will include:

• Embrace and support the delivery of the End-of-Life Services vision. Manage and deliver business objectives to ensure all funerals are delivered in a professional, caring, and empathetic manner in-line with procedures
• Support the Funeral Operations & Logistics Manager to develop and evolve the Support Centre operation and funeral delivery proposition and deliver the changes required professionally and positively
• Assist and ensure timely investigation of complaints. Report findings as necessary in line with complaints policy and procedure
• Embrace and endorse the bereavement and aftercare service for individuals, groups and colleagues
• Manage, coach, and develop Funeral Assistants and Area Support and Logistics Specialist
• Manage all elements of team performance including regular reviews, recruitment, underperformance, sickness, and absence.
• Ensure standards and behaviours are continuously demonstrated whilst adhering to best practice through a culture of teamwork, accountability, and ownership, personally and across the team
• Highlight gaps or areas for improvement in colleague recruitment, retention, performance management, health, wellbeing and learning & development for discussion and review
• Deliver key financial KPIs and other financial targets on budget
• Support the delivery of the End-of-Life Services / Southern Co-op business plan and service proposition ensuring commercial sensitivity
• Robustly manage personnel budget and other P&L costs, authorisation of overtime, colleague rotas, and processing of payroll
• Ensure compliance is proactively implemented across all policies and regulation
• Ensure the security of our premises, vehicles and company equipment
• Endorse and implement the key associated aspects of risk management
• Implement and deliver the society’s community engagement business plan ensuring active individual and team involvement by promoting the End-of-Life Services / Southern Co-op brand proactively and positively
• Liaise with external agencies and participate in business and professional networking opportunities to promote the activities and services of End-of-Life Services / Southern Co-op

Key skills required

• Strong logistical management in an operational environment with commercial and financial awareness
• Knowledge or experience of a funeral operational environment
• Experienced in developing, coaching and managing a team through excellent people management and leadership skills.
• An excellent communicator with the confidence to build strong relationships with multiple stakeholders at all levels.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills ensuring attention to detail at all times and display the ability to be flexible and adaptable.
• Strong influencing, presentation and communication skills.
• Uses initiative in problem solving and decision making.
• Excellent time management and prioritisation skills
• IT literate and a competent user of MS Office
• Ability to successfully network internally and externally and engage the team to embrace and build on new and existing links within the community

Company Benefits

At Southern Co-op we offer a lot more than just a job. As we are completely owned by our 200,000+ members, we put people first. Become part of the family with Southern Co-op, who are proud to serve local communities and put people first.

We can offer you:

• 31 days of annual leave (incl bank holidays) increasing over time to a maximum of 36 days after 10 years’ service.
• 20% discount in stores
• Healthcare cash plan
• Share incentive plan
• NEST pension
• Opportunities to develop your skills through apprenticeships and our own in-house training & development programmes

Referral Scheme

Refer a successful candidate and both parties will be rewarded with a £50 voucher.
The referee will need to provide the referrers name, colleague number and store location when submitting an application.