Estates Specialist

Location: St. Catharines

Overview  Why Meridian? At Meridian, our aspiration is to integrate our purpose into everything we do for people, the planet, and communities. We believe that our greatest opportunity is to create opportunity and meet people where they are. Find our story here:
About Meridian.
As an Estates Specialist, you will be reporting to the Manager, Estates and act as a key member of the Retail and Wealth Operations team who will contribute to Meridian’s overall Meridian For Good Strategy. You will assume responsibility for the review, preparation, settlement and taxation filing of Meridian Estate accounts and administration. The candidate will be proactive, forward thinking, collaborative, resourceful and influential.

They are responsible for maintaining high standards of Member service, contributing to quality control and operational efficiency within Wealth that contribute to a positive Member experience.
What you will do   Manage all aspects of Meridian responsibilities relevant to estate management and tax reporting.
Respond to inquiries, both via email/fax and phone, from external agencies such as solicitors, trustees beneficiaries, mutual fund companies and Aviso.
Responsible for handling the estate phone line, determining the appropriate next steps for each case, provide guidance and advice to the branch staff, and assist them with setting realistic expectations with the trustees.
Create a consistent and positive experience for our partners and our Members.
Build a culture that marries a focus on compliance, best practices, and risk mitigation with meeting member needs timely and accurately.
Take ownership of estate case and collaborate with other departments as needed.
Keep abreast of regulatory changes assessing the need to create or update existing policy and procedures.
Support development of all Operations staff by proving training opportunities including on-going cross-training and knowledge transfer.
Research emerging trends / best practices in the industry to determine implications of proposed solutions.
Determine appropriate solution to errors or omissions using established policies, including regulatory requirements and appropriately escalate issues as required.
Leverage ongoing analysis regarding Operations / key performance indicators / metrics to highlight trends and make recommendations that will enhance existing systems, processes and / or products and services.
Work with your team to update internal procedures as processes change and/or improve.
How you will succeed   3+ years of experience in the financial services industry.
Desire for continuous learning and growth:
Availability to take external courses to enhance estate knowledge.
Knowledge of estate administration, relevant legal documents and / or processes relating to area of expertise.
Commitment to values and service excellence
Attention to detail and ability to exercise sound judgment mitigating risk to Meridian and Trustees
Communicate clearly and professionally, as well as demonstrate empathy
Exceptional relationship and communication skills – capable of using written, spoken and interpersonal skills to create clear understanding of expectations; address escalated challenges and issues in reporting areas; and to represent the functional area across the organization.
Demonstrate ability and creativity in developing and implementing process improvement initiatives
Confident in providing advice and direction including but not limited to deceased member processes, mutual fund transactions and compliance
Strong knowledge of computer systems, embracing virtual technology platforms for use with both Member and Meridian partners. Ovation/Encore and Microsoft Office products, an asset.

Note:

This role represents an existing vacancy. Internal candidates are being considered as part of our standard process.
Salary & Benefits  Salary Range: CAD $48,000 - $60,000. Compensation for this role is based on a combination of skills, experience, and internal equity. Candidates with stronger alignment to the role’s requirements may be placed higher within the range. Your recruiter will share more information about our total rewards package during the hiring…