The funeral director's job is to assist the bereaved in various ways to help them through the loss of a loved one. A funeral director provides bereavement and consolation services for the living, in addition to making arrangements for the cremation, burial, and memorial services for the deceased. He fulfills the role of funeral arranger, funeral director, funeral attendant, and embalmer.

The following list is not all-inclusive, but describes some of the major tasks of a funeral director:
Removal and transfer of the deceased from the place of death to the funeral home
Professional care of the deceased, including embalming, casketing, and cosmetology
Consulting with family to make arrangements for the funeral service
Filing certificates, permits, and other required forms
Obtaining copies of the death certificate
Arrangements with the cemetery, crematory, or other places of final disposition
Creates and publishes the obituary
Arrangements for clergy, music, flowers, transportation, pallbearers, and special fraternal or military services
Directs and manages the funeral service and the funeral procession
Assists the family with death-related claims, including Social Security, VA insurance, grief counseling