Trust Officer

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.; Wilmington (DE); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH) seeks a Trust Officer to coordinate and administer trust accounts for high-net-worth clients. You will work with BBH relationship teams, clients, attorneys, CPAs and internal teams, ensuring fiduciary duties are fulfilled accurately and on schedule.

The role includes supervising Trust Administrators, developing discretionary actions, preparing fiduciary income tax inputs, and presenting cases to the trust committee.

Qualifications

• 5 to 10 years of relevant experience in trust administration.
• Bachelor’s degree required; CTFA or CFP preferred; advanced degree/designation considered but not required.
• Strong experience with high net worth clients and their advisors.
• Analytical and communication skills; knowledge of trust and estate law and taxes.

Responsibilities

• Own a diverse book of trust accounts with supervision from senior staff.
• Collaborate with relationship teams, attorneys and CPAs on fiduciary matters.
• Ensure accurate, timely trust administration in line with fiduciary standards.
• Guide and supervise a Trust Administrator supporting the book of accounts.
• Prepare discretionary memoranda for distributions and investments for committee review.
• Present to internal trust committees and participate in client meetings.
• Explain complex trust concepts clearly to clients and co-fiduciaries.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Trust administration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

CTFA or CFP preferred; JD or MBA considered

Tools

SunGard/FIS

MS Office (Excel & Word)

Job description

At BBH, Partnership is more than a form of ownership—it’s our approach to business and relationships. We know that supporting your professional and personal goals is the best way to help our clients and advance our business. We take that responsibility seriously. With a 200-year legacy and a shared passion for what’s next, this is the right place to build a fulfilling career.

The Trust Officer coordinates and administers trust accounts for various clients of Brown Brothers Harriman ("BBH") for which Brown Brothers Harriman Trust Company of Delaware, N.A. serves as trustee or as co-trustee. This position interacts directly with BBH relationship teams, BBH clients, accountants, trusts & estates attorneys and other intermediaries as a point of contact for a defined book of business. In addition to the responsibilities provided below, the Trust Officer oversees the development of, and manages the activities of, Trust Administrators.

Key responsibilities

• Taking primary responsibility and ownership for a diverse book of trust accounts with support from a Senior Trust Officer and/or Trust Company Management.
• Understanding and helping BBH clients with sophisticated financial situations in collaboration with relationship management teams.
• Ensuring that all aspects of trust administration are completed accurately, on a timely basis, and in accordance with fiduciary standards and BBH policies and procedures.
• Partnering with internal teams such as legal, tax, risk, and operations, along with external advisors including attorneys and CPAs to ensure proper handling, compliance, and reporting.
• Working with the internal tax team to ensure that all information needed for the preparation of fiduciary income tax returns is available, and reviewing fiduciary income tax returns prepared externally.
• Preparing discretionary action memoranda, for presentation to an internal trust committee, for distributions, investments, and other discretionary actions of BBH in its capacity as trustee.
• Participating in client meetings and prospect meetings with Relationship Managers and Wealth Planners to explain the role of BBH as trustee in general and the active role of a Trust Officer for an existing or prospective relationship.
• Communicating complex trust, estate, and private asset concepts in a clear and practical manner to clients, co-fiduciaries, and beneficiaries.
• Providing guidance, oversight and supervision to a Trust Administrator supporting the book of trust accounts.
• Acting as an internal resource for colleagues, including the coordination of and participation in office training and the communication of best practices related to trust administration.
• Demonstrating a working knowledge of the interpretation and practical application of trust and estate document provisions and communicating complex trust and estate concepts to colleagues, co-fiduciaries and beneficiaries.
• Reviewing document drafts (trusts, wills, releases, trustee succession instruments, modification instruments, accountings, promissory notes, etc.) prepared internally or by external counsel prior to execution.

Qualifications

• 5 to 10 years of relevant experience in trust administration
• Bachelor’s degree required CTFA or CFP preferred; advanced degree/designation, such as JD or MBA, considered but not required
• Strong experience in dealing directly with high net worth clients and their advisors
• Strong analytical skills and strong communication skills
• Detailed understanding of trust and estate law, personal and trust taxation, estate planning, and other financial services
• Strong working knowledge of the interpretation and practical application of trust and estate document provisions, trust and estate law, taxes, investments, and the legal framework of trust administration
• Experience with customer relationship management software, SunGard/FIS or other trust accounting systems
• Experience with Microsoft Office products, particularly Excel and Word

We value diverse experiences. We value diverse experiences and transferrable skillsets.

About BBH: Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH) is a premier global financial services firm, known for premium service, specialist expertise, technology solutions and partnership approach to client management. Across Investor Services and Capital Partners, we work with an enviable roster of sophisticated clients who make BBH their first call when they are tackling their hardest challenges. Delivering for our clients and each other energizes us. We believe that how we do our work is just as important as what we do. We are relentless problem solvers who know our best ideas come from collective debate and development—so we are never possessive about our ideas. Every day we come together as a diverse community of smart and caring people to deliver exceptional service and expert advice—creating success that lasts. No matter where you sit in the organization, everyone is empowered to contribute their ideas. BBHers can pick up the phone and call any colleague, and they are happy to help. Expanding your impact beyond your daily role is part of how we operate as trusted partners to one another. We believe stability is a competitive advantage, but being stable means having the knowledge, skill, and discipline to evolve, often—pushing the boundaries of innovation. As a private partnership, every investment we make is in the relationships, technologies, products and development we believe are in the long-term interests of our clients and our people. Our long-tenured leaders are experts in their areas and are actively involved in the day-to-day business, taking the time to provide guidance and mentoring to build the next generation of BBHers. Because we know, our success begins with yours.

Go to BBH.com to learn more about our rewards and benefits, philanthropy, approach to sustainability or how we support you to thrive personally, physically and financially.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other protected status under federal, state or local law.

Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH) is a global financial services firm known for premium service and specialist expertise. BBH works with leading asset managers, financial institutions, private businesses and their owners, wealthy families, and sophisticated institutional investors. As a private partnership, we are uniquely built to put clients first and create success that lasts. We believe our success starts with yours. At BBH, partnership is more than just a form of ownership—it’s our approach to business and relationships. Every day we come together as a diverse community of smart and caring people to deliver exceptional service and expert advice. Across Investor Services and Capital Partners, we work with an enviable roster of sophisticated clients who make BBH their first call when they are tackling their hardest challenges. No matter where you sit in the organization, everyone is empowered to contribute their ideas and perspective. BBHers can pick up the phone and call any colleague, and they are happy to help— which is why expanding your impact beyond your daily role is part of how we operate as trusted partners to one another. Delivering for our clients and each other energizes us. We believe stability is a competitive advantage, but being stable means having the knowledge, skill, and discipline to evolve, often—pushing the boundaries of innovation. Every investment we make is in the relationships, technologies, products and development we believe are in the long-term interests of our clients and our people. Our long-tenured leaders are experts in their areas and are actively involved in the day-to-day business, taking the time to provide guidance and mentoring to build the next generation of BBHers. With a 200-year legacy and a shared passion for what’s next, this is the right place to build a fulfilling career.