Senior Trust Officer

Responsible for the day-to-day management and administration for a wide variety of trust accounts, which might include Settlement, Special Needs, SAM Trusts, Directed Trusts, court supervised trusts, Directed Trusts, Simple Trusts, Complex Trusts, Unitrusts, and ILITs ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures. May manage associates at the discretion of Executive Management and/or Senior Management.

Role Responsibilities

Trust Administration

• Thorough understanding of trust documents; trust accounting concepts; and tax reporting activities.
• Act as lead communicator with clients regarding strategic financial planning.
• Respond promptly to client distribution requests and make distributions of cash and assets as required, while strictly following department procedures regarding verbal confirmation for electronic distribution requests.
• Understand the needs of and duties to the principals, income beneficiaries and remaindermen.
• Professional advisor to trust beneficiaries, third party administrators and other service professionals.
• Comply with Trust Administration checklists related to opening and closing of accounts; and account reviews.
• Monitor the completion of trust tax returns.
• Complete annual account reviews as required by the South Dakota Division of Banking.
• Prepare appropriate presentations for Trust Committee review.
• Responsible for the administration of a complex book of personal trust accounts which may include supporting the administration of pooled trusts.
• May participate as a member of the Trust Committee, including any sub-committees, as approved by the Board of Directors.
• May lead or participate in projects outside of Trust Administration.
  
  

Human Resources (Only applicable if Senior Trust Officer Manages an Associate(s)

• Responsible for performance reviews, coaching and mentoring.
• Ensure that a development plan is in place for each associate.
  
  

Competencies

Leadership Skills

• Act as a champion for clients, ensuring that decisions and actions help them achieve their goals.
• Build partnerships with the Company's key settlement planners and investment advisors.
• Collaborate across the Company to achieve results.
• Promote a positive and professional work environment.
• Coach and mentor developing employees to meet their goals.
• Delegate tasks and empower associates appropriately.
• Help supervise seasonal and/or temporary employees.
• Recognize and reward strong performers.
• Demonstrates personal resilience and a commitment to continuously learning.
  
  

Communication Skills

• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with clients; interact with beneficiaries, courts and other third-party professionals.
• Be aware of and follow company policies for electronic communications and internet use.
  
  

Computer/Technical Skills

• Strong analytical skills with high attention to detail and accuracy.
• Proficiency using Office Suite of applications.
• Skilled with trust accounting software.
• Able to understand and follow company policies regarding information security including password, multi-factor authentication, and remote access use.
  
  

Organization

• Possess strong decision-making and organizational skills.
• Coordinate all aspects of fiduciary taxation with third parties.
• Regularly update client interactions in CRM database.
  
  

Judgment

• Understand Company's overall strategy and guiding principals and demonstrate visible commitment.
• Work proactively to quickly identify and escalate issues, problems.
• Successfully demonstrates superior client engagement as evidenced by positive feedback to Management.
• Able to identify common attempts at information security scams, like email phishing.
  
  

Role Qualifications

• Demonstrated examples of leadership capabilities, including ability to handle more complex trust accounts and assuming projects in addition to assigned account load.
• Demonstrate expert knowledge of trust concepts and Capital First trusts.
• 4 years of technical expertise in the area of trust administration or client-facing legal or financial services.
• Previous experience in a leadership role with responsibilities managing others or providing coaching, mentoring and education to others in the Company.
• Some travel required for business development opportunities.
• Undergraduate degree.
• Spanish speaking is a plus.
• Trust and estate or financial background.
• JD, CTFA, or CFP certification a plus.