Vice President, Trust Officer

About the role

The Vice President, Trust Officer is responsible for the administration and oversight of fiduciary relationships, delivering high-quality trust services to individuals, families, and institutional clients. This role serves as both a fiduciary decision-maker and relationship manager, ensuring trust accounts are administered in accordance with governing documents, applicable laws, and firm policies. The VP, Trust Officer operates as a developing leader within the trust organization, managing moderately complex relationships, supporting senior officers on high-value accounts, and contributing to client retention and growth while maintaining strict adherence to fiduciary standards and risk controls.

Responsibilities

• Trust Administration & Fiduciary Execution: Administer a portfolio of trust accounts, including revocable and irrevocable trusts, directed and discretionary trusts, estate and agency accounts; interpret and apply trust provisions to ensure proper execution of distributions and disbursements, beneficiary communications, and administrative actions; ensure all activities comply with governing documents and fiduciary standards.
• Client Relationship Management: Serve as primary relationship contact for assigned clients (or co-contact on complex relationships); build strong client relationships through responsive communication, proactive service delivery, and understanding client goals and family dynamics; coordinate client meetings, prepare materials, and manage follow-up execution.
• Investment Oversight & Coordination: Partner with Portfolio Managers to align investment strategy with trust objectives and risk tolerance, monitor account performance and cash needs, and ensure investment activities are consistent with trust document requirements and fiduciary obligations (prudent investor standards).
• Risk Management & Compliance: Identify and escalate fiduciary, operational, or client risks; maintain thorough documentation of discretionary decisions, client instructions, and exception handling; ensure compliance with state trust laws, internal policies and procedures, and audit and regulatory expectations.
• Documentation, Reporting & Administration: Maintain accurate trust records, including trust agreements and amendments, account activity and transaction history; review and deliver client reporting such as account statements and administrative summaries; support audit readiness through complete and defensible files.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with internal teams including Investment Management, Tax & Accounting, Operations/Trust Administration, and Legal & Compliance; assist in resolving client issues and improving workflows across departments.
• Client Service & Operational Support: Respond to client inquiries, service requests, and account maintenance needs; coordinate account openings and asset transfers, distributions and cash movements; ensure timely and accurate execution of all service-related activities.
• Growth & Business Development Support: Identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships and introduce additional services; support senior officers in prospect meetings and centers of influence (COI) relationship development (attorneys, CPAs, RIAs).

Performance expectations: accurate and timely administration of assigned trust accounts; high client satisfaction and responsiveness; strong documentation supporting fiduciary decisions; minimal operational or compliance exceptions; effective collaboration across internal teams; demonstrated progression toward managing more complex relationships.

Work environment: moderate noise (business office with computers, phone, printers, light traffic); ability to sit at a computer for an extended period of time; regularly required to sit, stand, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard and telephone; specific vision abilities include close vision requirements due to computer work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Accounting, or related field required
• Professional certifications preferred or in progress: CTFA (Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor), CFP® (Certified Financial Planner), CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
• Advanced degree (JD, MBA, or related) is a plus but not required

Requirements

• 4–7+ years of experience in trust administration, wealth management, estate planning, or fiduciary services
• Experience within a trust company, bank trust department, or RIA