Manager of Trust Administration

Fiduciary Counselling, Inc.; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Fiduciary Counselling, Inc. seeks an experienced Trust Administration Leader to oversee client trust administration and supervise department staff in the Tacoma area.

You will align strategies with company objectives and collaborate with Estate Planning, Client Advisor, Financial Manager, Investment and Tax teams to deliver integrated trust services. Responsibilities include directing discretionary review, managing distributions, interpreting trust instruments, supervising onboarding and audits,

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in trust administration or related field.
• Advanced degree or certification preferred (JD, CFP, CTFA, CPA) or equivalent experience.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills required; experience with trust accounting systems, Salesforce, and spreadsheet software preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the discretionary review process: analyze beneficiary requests and communicate decisions.
• Manage the trust distribution process ensuring compliance with documents and regulations.
• Read and interpret trust instruments and legal documents.
• Oversee ongoing trust administration and onboarding/audit processes.
• Serve as central point of contact with internal departments to deliver integrated service.
• Develop educational resources and coordinate trustee training events.
• Assist Chief Trust Officer with Board Committee content and reporting.
• Organize trustee meetings and document minutes for approval.
• Monitor industry best practices and update policies for trust administration.
• Respond to client inquiries and proactively inform trustees of events.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Communication

Problem solving

Confidentiality

Teamwork

Continuous learning

Relationship building

Education

Advanced degree (JD/CFP/CTFA/CPA)

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Trust accounting systems

Spreadsheet software

Job description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF POSITION: Ensure accurate, efficient, and timely administration of client trust accounts; supervise Trust Administration department staff; develop business unit strategies and plans aligned with FCI’s objectives; and work collaboratively with members of the Estate Planning, Client Advisor, Financial Manager, Investment and Tax groups to achieve a fully integrated service delivery platform regarding all aspects of FCI’s services to trustees.

OUTCOMES

• Provide management and leadership to enable the team to effectively administer more than 1,000 trusts, including setting strategic and tactical priorities, managing department staff and their professional development, holding the team accountable.
• Identifies and mitigates potential fiduciary risks through the evaluation and implementation of industry best practices and actively participating in the discretionary review committees.
• Ensures accuracy and completeness of records by supervising the onboarding of new trusts and administrative account reviews and holistically auditing individual datapoints across the entire trust system.
• Fosters trustee and beneficiary relationships and engagement through timely communication, professional guidance, regular meetings, effective problem solving, abundant resources, and valuable training.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate the discretionary review process: Analyze beneficiary requests; serve as a member of the discretionary review committees; conduct committee meetings to discuss and determine recommendations to trustees; maintain minutes and records of meetings; communicate with trustees and other decision makers; document trustee decisions.
• Manage the trust distribution process including any payout requirements; ensure that funds are dispersed and trusts are managed in compliance with governing documents, federal and state requirements, established procedures, and best practices.
• Read and interpret trust instruments and other legal documents.
• Provide ongoing trust administration: Oversee processes for new and closing entities, notifications to beneficiaries, trustee succession, preparing or revising trust summaries, periodic administrative account reviews, and document retention.
• Serve as central point of contact to partner with all internal departments and external resources to provide best in class service to clients through the timely, accurate, and integrated execution of cross functional processes.
• Develop educational resources for trustee growth and enrichment including planning and coordination of seminars and educational events.
• Assist the Chief Trust Officer with the content and preparation for Board Committee meetings. Prepare reports for the Boards of Directors as needed.
• Trustee Meetings: Organize the trustee meeting schedule to maximize the number of meetings offered to trustees each year; identify items for review and discussion; lead meetings, conduct follow ups, ensure minutes are submitted for trustee approval.
• Monitor new developments and industry best practices by attending educational programs, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks and participating in professional organizations. Develop, implement, and periodically review policies and procedures for trust administration.
• Trustee communication: Respond to client inquiries, prepare approval correspondence, proactively alert trustees to upcoming trust events.
• Conduct legal research, provide advice, and collaborate with colleagues on matters pertinent to estate and trust administration. Analyze new and pending laws and regulations which directly affect trust administration.
• Manage business plans and budgets for trust administration. Lead and supervise trust personnel in the effective performance of their jobs, including ongoing training and development. Participate in company projects as assigned; perform projects as assigned by the Chief Trust Officer.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in trust administration or related.
• Advance degree or certification preferred (JD, CFP, CTFA, CPA) or equivalent experience.
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills required; experience with trust accounting systems, Salesforce, and spreadsheet software preferred.

COMPETENCIES

• Teamwork: Working together with clear communication, shared goals, and mutual support to ensure everyone can do their best work.
• Excellence: Commitment to delivering our best every day by upholding high standards with accountability, adaptability, integrity, and also empathy.
• Advocacy: Championing the best interest of our colleagues and clients by supporting one another to ensure every voice is heard and every action serves the greater good.
• Meaningful Connections: Fostering a shared sense of belonging by building intentional, authentic relationships grounded in trust, understanding, and collaboration.
• !nnovation: Exploring better ways forward by applying new ideas and existing knowledge to drive meaningful and continuous progress.
• Accountability & Dependability: Takes personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work, and achieves results with little oversight; is organized and takes ownership.
• Communicator: Speaks, listens, and writes clearly and effectively.
• Confidentiality: Demonstrates ability to protect confidential information (the business and lives of the clients are confidential to the outside world, and the client’s individual activities are confidential with respect to each other).
• Leadership: Motivates others, sets the example, earns respect & trust of others, supports training & development, champions ideas, listens & solicits ideas, and sees the whole person and not just the worker.
• Continuous Learning: Sharpens skills on own time, aspires to reach higher potential, keeps commitments, attends training, stays current with trade journals/books/media, and has a plan for growth and development.
• Empowerment & Delegation: Is clear with instructions and directions, follows up on delegated projects, develops staff by giving more responsibility, and challenges others to raise the bar.
• Integrity: Demonstrates the highest level of integrity and demands the same of employees.
• Problem Solving & Conflict Resolution: Think critically, uses logic and facts in analyses of problems, tracks patterns of recurring problems, anticipates issues, develops alternative solutions, escalates, when necessary, looks beneath the surface, and uses good judgment.