Private Client & Trust Director

Ambition; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Ambition seeks a Senior Private Client and Trusts Director to lead a high-quality portfolio of UK and international trusts for HNW individuals and families. You will shape the trusts offering, mentor staff, and drive cross‑disciplinary solutions with other leaders across tax and advisory services.

You will oversee client relationships, complex advisory projects and ensure top-tier service, with hybrid working across London and the South East.

Qualifications

• Significant experience advising on UK and international trusts.
• Strong technical knowledge of trust matters and private client advisory.
• Proven portfolio management with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop relationships with trustees, beneficiaries, HNW individuals, families and professional advisers.
• Advise on complex trust taxation, structuring, succession planning and operational tax issues.
• Lead complex advisory projects and provide technical support on specialist trust matters.
• Oversee trust accounting and tax compliance, reviewing advanced cases.
• Mentor and develop junior team members and contribute to training.

Skills

Trust taxation

Private client advisory

Team leadership

Business development

Education

ACA/ACCA qualification

Job description

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Private Client and Trusts Director to join a highly regarded and growing Private Client practice.

This is a senior leadership position offering the opportunity to work with an exceptionally high-quality and complex portfolio of UK and international trusts, alongside HNW individuals, families, estates and associated structures.

The role combines technical advisory work, client leadership, team development and business growth, making it an ideal opportunity for an experienced trusts professional looking for greater influence and the opportunity to play a key role in the future direction of a successful private client offering.

The Role

Working as part of the senior leadership team, you will take responsibility for a varied portfolio of complex UK and international trust clients while helping to shape and develop the wider trusts offering.

• Managing and developing relationships with trustees, beneficiaries, HNW individuals, families and professional advisers
• Advising on complex trust taxation matters, including trust structuring and restructuring, succession planning and operational tax issues
• Leading complex advisory projects and providing technical support on specialist trust matters
• Overseeing trust accounting and tax compliance, including reviewing more complex cases
• Acting as a senior point of contact for clients and ensuring consistently high levels of client service
• Developing relationships with intermediaries and identifying opportunities to grow existing and new client relationships
• Maintaining a strong external profile through professional networks, industry events and relationships with relevant external bodies
• Working closely with other senior leaders across tax, accounting and advisory services to provide joined-up solutions to clients
• Mentoring and developing more junior members of the team and contributing to technical training
• Playing an active role in the continued development and strategic direction of the wider Private Client practice

The Opportunity

This is much more than a portfolio management role.

You will be joining a well-established private client practice with a significant existing trusts offering, providing the platform to work on technically challenging matters while having genuine input into how the service develops.

There is a strong emphasis on advisory work and building long-term relationships with sophisticated private clients and their advisers. You will also have the opportunity to contribute commercially, build your external profile and play a visible role within the wider leadership team.

The firm offers a collaborative and supportive culture, alongside hybrid working and flexibility around where you are based across London and the South East.

About You

You will already have significant experience advising on UK and international trusts and will be comfortable operating at Director level with both clients and internal stakeholders.

• Significant experience within trust taxation and private client advisory
• Strong technical knowledge across complex UK and international trust matters
• Experience managing a demanding portfolio and multiple senior stakeholders
• The confidence to lead complex client conversations and provide commercially focused advice
• Experience developing and mentoring teams
• Strong relationship-building and business development skills
• A commercial mindset and an interest in helping to grow and develop a practice
• ACA and/or ACCA qualification, or an equivalent professional qualification

Additional CTA and/or STEP/TEP qualifications would be advantageous, although depth of relevant trusts experience is most important.

Why Consider It?

This would particularly suit someone who enjoys the technical side of trusts but wants a role that goes beyond technical delivery. You will have the opportunity to lead client relationships, influence strategy, develop people, build your market profile and contribute directly to the growth of the practice.

For an experienced Trusts professional looking for a senior role with complex work, autonomy, visibility and genuine influence, this is an opportunity well worth exploring.