Senior Fiduciary Officer

Northern Trust•Houston, TX

17h

About The Position

The Senior Fiduciary Officer serves as both a Senior Relationship Advisor and Senior Fiduciary Manager. The role combines responsibility for complex wealth management client relationships with regional oversight of fiduciary, compliance, and risk matters. It delivers proactive, advice-driven client service; applies extensive trust, tax, estate planning, financial planning, and investment knowledge; supports business growth; and provides leadership to relationship advisors and the broader market team. The officer manages an assigned portfolio of wealth management clients, working with clients, professional advisors, and the client service team to understand client needs, goals, and priorities. The role leads client conversations using a Goals Driven Wealth Management approach, provides proactive advice, develops clear and practical solutions, and applies fiduciary expertise to strengthen client relationships. The position also provides regional oversight of fiduciary, compliance, and risk matters. It advises relationship advisors on trust administration, risk management, compliance, and wealth management implementation; contributes to business development; and participates in advisor hiring, development, and performance discussions. The officer helps advance fiduciary strategy, leads and guides staff, and represents Northern Trust in the market and professional community.

Requirements

Minimum 10 years of experience as a lead relationship manager in trust administration, estate administration, estate planning, or a related field.
Extensive fiduciary expertise and sound judgment in administering complex trust and wealth management relationships.
Broad knowledge of fiduciary and financial products and services.
Technical knowledge of investments, tax, legal, and operational matters.
Thorough knowledge of fiduciary standards, principles, and applicable laws and regulations.
Ability to translate technical trust, tax, legal, estate planning, and investment concepts into clear, practical advice.
Strong negotiation, problem-resolution, delegation, leadership, and risk-management skills.
Ability to lead across functions and regions and build alignment among clients, professional advisors, internal partners, and oversight groups.
Strong relationship-building and business development capabilities.
Leadership and organizational skills to establish business unit goals, identify resource needs, and assess and develop staff capabilities.
Authorization to work in the U.S. without current or future employment-based visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

A legal background or commensurate experience is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage an assigned portfolio of wealth management clients in partnership with clients, professional advisors, and the client service team.
Provide responsive, proactive client service and maintain appropriate written and verbal communication.
Lead client conversations using a Goals Driven Wealth Management approach and advise clients about Northern Trust products and services, emerging issues, regulatory and tax changes, and appropriate actions.
Develop advice-driven solutions using technical knowledge, fact-finding, and analysis, and explain complex concepts in clear, non-technical language.
Apply fiduciary expertise and internal resources to identify opportunities to strengthen and expand client relationships.
Apply knowledge of governing documents, account agreements, fiduciary duties, applicable laws, trust and tax law, estate planning, financial planning, asset management, and prudent investment principles.
Follow Northern Trust fiduciary standards, policies, processes, and procedures in client relationships and account administration.
Identify fiduciary risks, pursue timely resolution, and engage trust counsel, the Regional CFO, and the Advisory Practice Leader when appropriate.
Provide regional oversight of fiduciary, compliance, and risk matters, including ongoing monitoring, escalation, and resolution.
Advise relationship advisors on trust administration, risk management, compliance policies and measures, and Goals Driven Wealth Management implementation.
Support national initiatives and programs and contribute fiduciary and advisory expertise to business development opportunities.
Participate in hiring relationship advisors and provide subject matter input for annual performance and compensation discussions.
Assist relationship advisors with the design and implementation of development plans.
Participate, as requested, in fiduciary oversight committees, including account acceptance and discretionary action committees.
Partner across disciplines and regions to reduce risk and improve efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity.
Cultivate referral sources and centers of influence, represent Northern Trust in community and professional organizations, and identify opportunities to showcase the firm’s expertise.
Contribute to the fiduciary strategic plan, establish unit goals and priorities, and follow through on objectives.
Provide staff leadership and guidance, fostering participation, teamwork, accountability, and communication.