Senior Trust Officer - BankWest

Senior Trust Officer - Bank West Location Negotiable

Location:

South Dakota, Negotiable

The Senior Trust Officer is responsible for the administration of complex personal trust accounts, including ultra-high-net-worth, family, charitable, and directed trusts. This role requires deep fiduciary knowledge, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate family dynamics, estate settlement, and closely held business interests. The Senior Trust Officer serves as a key relationship manager, working closely with clients, their advisors, and internal teams to deliver personalized, high-touch trust and estate administration services.

This position is a key contributor to the Trust Department's risk management, client satisfaction, and business development goals.

• Administer a book of complex trust accounts, including multigenerational, directed, special needs, and irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs), in accordance with governing instruments, applicable laws, and company policies.
• Interpret trust documents and manage distributions, tax reporting, and legal compliance.
• Serve as the primary relationship manager for high-net-worth clients and family offices, addressing fiduciary matters.
• Collaborate with co‑trustees, trust protectors, distribution committees, and family governance entities.
• Assist with estate settlement, including marshaling assets, paying debts, filing required tax returns, and distributing assets.
• Review and monitor accounts holding unique or illiquid assets, such as closely held business interests, real estate, and alternative investments.
• Participate in trust committee meetings and provide recommendations regarding discretionary distributions and account management.
• Partner with other Bank West Departments to drive business development and close new Trust business by participating in prospecting activities.
• Proactively identify and harvest opportunities to deepen relationships within the current client base.
• Meet with key clients periodically to maintain relationships and identify issues, new business opportunities, and provide trust, estate, and wealth transfer planning guidance.
• Proactively engage other Departments within Bank West to best meet client needs.
• Provide leadership in onboarding new business and overseeing account acceptance processes.
• Identify and mitigate fiduciary risks and elevate concerns appropriately.

• Work as a team with departmental counterparts on planning and implementing assigned projects and products.
• Participate on various committees and project teams as deemed appropriate by management.
• Attend and actively participate in organization‑specific training offered, and Quality Service programs.
• Adhere to all applicable Policies and Procedures of the Bank West organization.
• Community involvement is strongly encouraged.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Education:
  
  A Bachelor's Degree in a related field.
• Applicable experience and/or related certifications may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• JD, CTFA, CPA, or other relevant professional designations strongly preferred.

Minimum 10 years of experience in trust administration, with at least 5 years focused on complex or South Dakota situs accounts.

• Ability to work independently and/or under pressure, meet deadlines, and adjust work schedules as needed to complete job responsibilities.
• Ability to organize and handle multiple responsibilities while delivering quality external and internal Customer Service.
• Strong interpersonal skills to ensure effective communication with external and internal customers.
• Knowledge or ability to learn regulatory requirements pertinent to performance of specified duties.
• Knowledge of trust terminology and procedures.
• Proven ability to handle complex family structures, charitable trusts, and business ownership issues.
• Adapt at managing competing priorities and delivering timely, accurate work under pressure.
• Expert knowledge of fiduciary principles, trust and estate administration, and federal and state tax implications.
• Familiarity with South Dakota's directed trust framework, trust protector roles, and privacy and decanting statutes.
• Knowledge of Bank West products and services.
• Ability to skillfully use a variety of application software, learn computer programs, and comprehend program output.
• Adhere to Federal Privacy Standards in addition to following Bank West requirements for electronic communication and Social Engineering standards.

Bank West is a "Sales Organization" and all employees are expected to participate directly or indirectly with increasing Bank West's presence in their markets as appropriate.