Dignity Website

Director of Property

Candidate Briefing Document — Dignity

This appointment is being managed exclusively by Practicus, one of the UK's leading management consulting and executive recruitment firms specialising in the end-of-life services and private equity-backed transformation sector.



ABOUT DIGNITY — Overview

200 Years of Trust. Now, a Defining Transformation.

"With over 200 years of history, Dignity is one of the UK's oldest and most trusted end-of-life service providers — operating a unique end-to-end model spanning funeral services, prepaid plans, memorialisation, and an in-house coffin manufacturing division. 98.9% of families say the business met or exceeded their expectations."

Dignity at a Glance

  • ~600 funeral branches nationwide
  • 46 crematoria & 28 cemeteries
  • 4,000+ dedicated employees
  • £281m–£300m private equity buyout in 2023
  • £550m refinancing package backing the turnaround

Dignity Funerals

Dignity Funeral Directors: Funeral Services & Prepaid Funeral Plans

Dignity is a collection of the UK's finest Funeral Directors. We are one of the most trusted providers of Funeral Services and Prepaid Funeral Plans.

CONTEXT TO THE ROLE

Transformation Over Maintenance

"In 2023, Dignity transitioned from a steady-state FTSE 250 PLC to a privately owned enterprise following a £281m–£300m buyout by a consortium led by SPWOne V Limited, Castelnau Group, and Phoenix Asset Management Partners. This consortium is actively driving a major operational resurgence, backed by a £550m refinancing package, to centralise corporate governance and modernise the business."

This is not a traditional facilities management role. The successful candidate will be tasked with auditing a portfolio of roughly 800 distinct sites and making ruthless, commercially sound decisions on what to rationalise, upgrade, or outsource. This is a career-defining mandate for a strategic leader who thrives on building target operating models from the ground up.

THE ROLE

Key Responsibilities

As Director of Property & Fleet, you will oversee a sprawling national estate of funeral homes, care centres, crematoria, corporate offices, and residential properties — alongside the national vehicle fleet. Your mandate is one of strategic evolution, commercial rigour, and transformational leadership across four core pillars.

Estate Rationalisation & Commercial Strategy

Lead the sale, leaseback, or disposal of property assets to ensure optimal financial outcomes. Design the future operating model — evaluating in-house, outsourced, or hybrid solutions to maximise efficiency across ~800 sites.

Sustainability & ESG Leadership

Champion a £20m+ commitment to reduce environmental impact across crematoria and the wider estate — driving greener operations, energy reduction initiatives, and fleet electrification.

Compliance & Governance

Ensure an uncompromised standard of health and safety, legal compliance, and statutory checks across a highly regulated estate operating within FCA guidelines and local government requirements.

Procurement & Fleet Leadership

Lead commercial negotiations and embed robust spend controls across property, fleet, and procurement frameworks. Assess how best to delegate, rationalise, or outsource the management of specialist vehicles.

Capital Expenditure & Business Cases

Prepare robust business cases, manage significant capital expenditure programmes, and secure long-term strategic partnerships — all under scrutiny from a commercially driven Executive Leadership Team.

Target Operating Model Design

Build the property and fleet function from the ground up — shaping your own mandate, driving impactful change, and instilling a culture of commercial rigour and operational excellence.

THE PERSON

The Human Element: A Very Specific Psychological Profile

We are not simply seeking a property director. We are seeking a commercially fearless transformation leader who can navigate a complex, emotionally sensitive operating environment with both conviction and empathy. Presenting to this board requires absolute financial literacy, a complete lack of ego, and the ability to bring clarity to complexity.

The Challenger

You are comfortable holding senior stakeholders to account and bringing evidence-based pushback to the boardroom. You can operate "in the grey," shaping your own mandate rather than waiting for direction.

High EQ & Hearts and Minds Leadership

You understand that pushing through a complex disposals pipeline requires bringing a potentially sceptical operational team on the journey with you — without arrogance. Dignity's culture demands sensitivity.

Complex Multi-Site Estate Experience

You have a proven track record in multi-site, customer-facing environments that have undergone significant physical estate rationalisation — such as high-street retail banking, large-scale hospitality, or private healthcare.

Commercially Astute

You are highly effective at preparing robust business cases, managing significant capital expenditure, and securing long-term strategic partnerships in a scrutinised, regulated environment.

MEASURE OF SUCCESS

What "Good" Looks Like at 12 Months

Success in this role is not defined by the number of sites visited or lease reviews completed. It is defined by the quality of the operating model you have designed, the trust you have earned from a demanding Executive Leadership Team, and the commercial momentum you have generated across the estates and fleet portfolio.

HOUSEKEEPING

Package, Location & Logistics

Remuneration & Benefits

  • Salary: £150,000 – £160,000
  • Reporting To: Chief People & Transformation Officer (with direct ELT exposure)
  • Bonus: 10% annual company bonus
  • Car Allowance: £6,000 per annum
  • Holiday: 25 days + bank holidays
  • Pension: 4% matched
  • Healthcare: Family BUPA private healthcare
  • Life Assurance: 4x salary
  • Contract: Permanent, Full-Time

Location & Ways of Working

Dignity operates a national estate spanning the length of the UK. The role requires regular travel across sites, with the expectation of being highly visible across the portfolio during the rationalisation programme.

Dignity Headquarters

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KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Meet the Team You'll Be Working With

You will be partnering with and challenging a formidable Executive Leadership Team. Presenting to this board requires absolute conviction, deep financial literacy, and a complete lack of ego. These are the key individuals you will need to win over, work alongside, and ultimately deliver results for.

Zillah Byng-Thorne — Group CEO

A highly commercial leader and renowned change agent, Zillah sets the pace for Dignity's strategic transformation. She demands conviction, financial literacy, and the ability to operate independently in a fast-moving environment.


Samantha Culver — Chief Transformation & People Officer

Your direct reporting line. Samantha leads the people and transformation agenda at Dignity and will be a critical partner in navigating the cultural complexities of a major estate rationalisation programme.

Emily Tate — Group CFO

Heavily focused on tightening capital expenditure and financial auditing across the business. Emily will expect rigorous business cases and a clear commercial rationale for every significant property or fleet decision.

Recruitment Partner

About Practicus: Inclusive Hiring for Purpose-Led Organisations

This appointment is being managed exclusively by Practicus, one of the UK's leading management consulting and executive recruitment firms. Practicus is committed to inclusive, accessible, and equitable recruitment, and we take that commitment seriously at every stage of this process.

Practicus

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Our Commitment to Inclusion

Practicus is proud to be an inclusive employer and recruitment partner. We actively work to remove barriers that prevent talented people from applying for senior roles, and we welcome candidates from all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. We believe that diverse leadership teams build stronger, more resilient, and more impactful organisations.

We will make reasonable adjustments at every stage of the recruitment process for candidates who require them. If you have accessibility needs — whether for interviews, written assessments, or any other part of the process — please let us know at the earliest opportunity and we will accommodate them without question.

Practicus

2025 EDI Report Download

Accessibility & Support

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Dignity are committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities it serves. This appointment will be conducted in full accordance with their EDI commitments.


Your Recruitment Partners



Meet Your Practicus Recruitment Team

Your dedicated contacts at Practicus are here to guide you through every step of this executive search process. They are committed to ensuring a fair, transparent, and supportive experience for all candidates.

Natalie Allen — Head of Practice

Tel: +44 (0) 1491 637066
Email: natalie.allen@practicus.com

Michael Gater — Head of Delivery

Tel: +44 (0) 1491 637090
Email: michael.gater@practicus.com

Chris Watson - Delivery Manager

Tel: 01491 577122

Email: chris.watson@practicus.com