Vice President, Trust Services

Mercer Advisors

13d•$204,000 - $240,000

About The Position

The Vice President, Trust Services is a senior, hands-on leader responsible for building and running Mercer Advisors’ trust solutions business. The role owns outsourced corporate trustee relationships, works directly with advisors and clients on trust cases, and carries revenue and budget accountability for Trust Services. The Vice President draws on trust company service teams and colleagues in Legal, Compliance, Investment Strategy, and Corporate Development to deliver the work. The role also provides business leadership, direction, and support to the Trust Operations team, which is moving to the Client Service organization. The position sets the multi-year strategy and capability roadmap for Trust Services, oversees trust-company partners, advises wealth management teams and clients on trust solutions, and develops growth initiatives. It also defines operational workflows and service standards, resolves escalated issues, monitors business performance and client experience, and partners with Client Service leadership on Trust Operations.

Requirements

12+ years in trust, estate, or private wealth services.
Experience building or running a trust or fiduciary-related business, including leading through influence across teams.
Experience with directed and delegated trust structures, trust company relationships, and multi-state trust considerations.
Strong case design and client-facing skills, including meetings with advisors, clients, and estate attorneys.

Nice To Haves

JD, CTFA, CFP, or CTA preferred.

Responsibilities

Set the multi-year strategy for Trust Services, including service scope, partner model, and capability roadmap.
Own Trust Services revenue and budget, report results to senior management, and establish and regularly report key business metrics.
Define the roadmap for new strategic relationships in partnership with Corporate Development.
Lead selection, contracting, and ongoing management of independent trust companies serving as current and successor trustees, including RFPs and partner transitions.
Evaluate trust partners on their powers in key jurisdictions, fee structures, investment arrangements, technology, and service levels.
Monitor partner performance through scorecards and quarterly business reviews, and maintain partner due-diligence files and transition plans with Legal and Compliance.
Serve as the trust subject matter expert for wealth management teams, clients, prospects, and centers of influence, and explain Mercer Advisors’ trust value proposition.
Design trust solutions for advisor cases, including reviewing structures with clients’ estate attorneys.
Lead trust meetings with clients and prospects alongside advisors.
Build adoption of trust solutions among wealth management teams through training, case studies, and playbooks.
Develop and execute the growth strategy for trust solutions, including pipeline management and sales initiatives.
Define workflows, procedures, and systems supporting Trust Services, including new trust intake and partner handoffs.
Serve as the escalation point for partner and client servicing issues.
Conduct periodic reviews of Trust Services clients with wealth advisors to maintain client satisfaction.
Coordinate trust matters across departments and report volume, productivity, revenue, and business development to senior management.
Provide direction and support as business leader for the Trust Operations team as it moves to the Client Service organization.
Set business priorities, service standards, and workflows for trust intake, partner handoffs, and case management, partnering with Client Service leadership on execution.
Provide trust expertise and decisions on complex cases and partner questions escalated by the team.
Review volume, cycle times, and client and advisor feedback with the team and Client Service leadership to guide improvements and capacity needs.

Benefits

Company-paid basic life and AD&D insurance.
Company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Supplemental life and AD&D, short-term disability, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance.
Three Cigna medical plan options, including two High Deductible Health Plans and a traditional co-pay medical plan.
Kaiser medical plans available in California.
Health Savings Account with company contributions for employees enrolled in either HDHP medical plan.
Two comprehensive dental plans.
Vision insurance plan.
Dependent Care Savings Account for child and dependent care.
14 company-paid holidays, including a full week off at Thanksgiving.
Paid time off program for vacation and sick days.
Employee Assistance Plan.
Family Medical Leave.
Paid parental leave (8 weeks).
Maternity benefits using company-paid short-term disability, any supplemental short-term disability, and parental leave.
Adoption Assistance Reimbursement Program.
Company-paid concierge services for caregiving needs and other life challenges.
401(k) retirement plan with Traditional and Roth options, per-pay-period match, and an after-tax option.
Pet insurance.
Personalized financial planning and guidance from Mercer Advisors professionals at preferred employee pricing.