Trust Relationship Officer - Kalamazoo

What's This Job All About?

The Trust Relationship Officer is responsible for managing client relationships to perform activities relative to our role as trustee, agent and/or custodian.

What You'll Be Doing

Principal Accountabilities:

Client Service

• Responsible for proactive client contact providing "high touch" communication and service to clients.
• Help clients define their needs, goals, and objectives. Assist with the development of a personalized Wealth Management Plan at the onset of the relationship as well as development of ongoing strategies to achieve the client's near term goals and ultimate legacy plan objectives.
• Develop and maintain a basis of knowledge in key areas of trust and estate planning, investment management, retirement planning, and tax planning.
• Educate clients and trust beneficiaries on the terms and requirements of the trust.
• Solve problems for clients using resources of the entire Greenleaf team.
• Coordinate with client's other professional advisors, such as legal and tax advisors.
• Facilitate effective reporting and communication to client and other interested parties.
• Oversee all account receipts and disbursements.
• Oversight and monitoring of all account activity including the process of transferring funds, securities, and other assets.
• Ensure that appropriate and relative account documentation is on file.

New Business Development

• Generate new opportunities across lines of business through direct contact with existing clients, prospects and referral sources.
• Actively participate in sales team meetings and event-driven marketing activities.
• Promote bank trust services, and assist new clients with establishment of new trust accounts.
• Provide continuous support to new clients throughout the account transfer process.
• Make presentations to groups explaining the function of Greenleaf's Personal Trust Division and the potential financial and tax advantages to be gained by the use of various types of trusts or other wealth management strategies.

Fiduciary Excellence

• Act in a fiduciary capacity to perform activities relative to the administration of trusts under the terms of the governing trust documents.
• Directs collection of income or proceeds from sales of assets and deposits them in trust accounts.
• Ensures that the fiduciary judgment is followed in investing trust assets in income producing securities following investment guidelines of trust. Works with investment analysts to select the most appropriate investments according to long-term financial goals desired for the best interests of beneficiaries.
• Directs liquidation of liabilities, payment of debts, and disbursement of funds according to the needs of the beneficiaries and conditions of the trust document with approval from the Trust Committee.
• Hires appraisers, as needed, to determine the value of assets and appropriate method for sale of properties if this is determined to be in the best interest of the beneficiaries.
• Provides financial accountings for grantor, beneficiaries, executors, and/or court as required according to particular circumstances of trust agreement.
• Supervises the process of preparation, filing, and payment of state and federal income tax returns for the trust. Including review and signing of 1041 returns and review of other filings.

Support Greenleaf Team Members

• Provide expertise and back-up to other team members regarding trust/estate planning, tax, IRA and other issues.
• Work closely with Client Centric Team members to support client needs.
• Assist with seminar content development in areas of expertise.
• Track client communications in CRM system.
• Provide appropriate reporting to Executive Leadership Team and/or Trust Committee.

What You Need for this Position:

• Bachelor's Degree and minimum 3 years' experience in estate planning, trust administration, and customer service, or equivalent education and experience.
• Experience with client support/ wealth management/trust administration
• Sales experience in a service-related field