Trust Administrator

Alta Trust Company

Trust Administrator

Sioux Falls, SD

$65,000 to $85,000/yr • Hybrid

About Alta Trust

Alta Trust Company (“Alta”) is a South Dakota-chartered trust company providing trustee, custody, and other fiduciary services to investment advisors, institutions, and high-net-worth clients. We deliver scalable, institutional-grade trust solutions through a high-touch service model that supports our clients’ and partners’ long-term objectives.

We are seeking a detail-oriented and motivated Trust Administrator to join our on-site fiduciary administration team in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The successful candidate will support the day-to-day administration of trust accounts, coordinate account activity and documentation, and help ensure Alta consistently meets its fiduciary, operational, and client service responsibilities.

This position is well suited for a trust professional who is highly organized, takes ownership of their work, and is interested in developing deeper trust administration and fiduciary expertise within a growing organization.

Position Overview

The Trust Administrator is responsible for supporting the day-to-day administration of an assigned portfolio of personal trust and fiduciary accounts. The role assists with account establishment, transaction processing, distributions, trust reviews, client communication, recordkeeping, and other ongoing administrative responsibilities.

The position is hands-on and execution-oriented, requiring close coordination with Trust Officers, beneficiaries, investment advisors, attorneys, custodians, accountants, and internal business partners.

The Trust Administrator is expected to develop a working understanding of trust documents and fiduciary requirements, identify provisions relevant to account administration, and escalate discretionary, legal, tax, compliance, or complex fiduciary matters to the appropriate Trust Officer or senior leader.

This position is based on-site at Alta’s Sioux Falls, South Dakota office. Following a successful introductory period, partial hybrid flexibility may be considered at Alta’s discretion.

Key Responsibilities

Trust Administration and Account Support

• Support the day-to-day administration of an assigned portfolio of trust and fiduciary accounts.
• Assist with the establishment of new trust relationships, including account setup, documentation, asset transfer, titling, tax information, and initial funding.
• Review trust agreements and related documents to identify administrative provisions, beneficiaries, key parties, distribution requirements, and other account-specific responsibilities.
• Prepare and process routine distributions, cash movements, contributions, fee assessments, tax payments, and other trust transactions in accordance with governing documents and internal controls.
• Gather and organize supporting information for discretionary distribution requests and submit requests to the appropriate Trust Officer for review and approval.
• Monitor account cash needs, recurring payments, administrative deadlines, required distributions, notices, and other ongoing trust obligations.
• Assist with account changes, fiduciary appointments, trust terminations, partial distributions, and other significant account events.
• Perform routine account reviews, file maintenance, reconciliations, and follow-up activities.

Client Communication and Relationship Support

• Serve as an administrative point of contact for beneficiaries, clients, investment advisors, attorneys, and other professional partners.
• Respond promptly and professionally to routine requests regarding account status, transactions, documentation, and administrative requirements.
• Coordinate with Trust Officers and internal teams to research and resolve client or account-related questions.
• Prepare account correspondence, confirmations, forms, statements, and other client communications.
• Communicate administrative requirements clearly to individuals with varying levels of trust and estate planning knowledge.
• Maintain complete records of client communications, requests, approvals, and account activities.
• Escalate sensitive, complex, or potentially contentious matters to the appropriate Trust Officer or senior leader.

Documentation, Compliance, and Risk Management

• Maintain complete and organized trust files, including governing documents, amendments, beneficiary information, due diligence and KYC documentation, tax records, transaction support, and account history.
• Ensure administrative activities are properly authorized, documented, and completed in accordance with governing documents, internal policies, and established controls.
• Assist with initial, annual, and event-driven account reviews.
• Identify missing documentation, inconsistent information, overdue items, control gaps, or potential fiduciary and operational risks.
• Escalate matters involving unclear trust provisions, unusual distribution requests, family conflicts, legal interpretation, tax concerns, or potential compliance issues.
• Track identified issues and required follow-up through resolution.
• Follow established procedures for transaction verification, call-backs, approvals, fraud prevention, and dual control.

Operational Excellence and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate closely with Trust Officers, operations, accounting, onboarding, tax, compliance, and other internal teams to support controlled and efficient trust administration.
• Take ownership of assigned responsibilities and follow outstanding items through completion.
• Manage multiple accounts, deadlines, and competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and responsiveness.
• Assist with documenting and improving procedures, checklists, templates, workflows, and administrative controls.
• Participate in special projects and support other areas of the organization as business needs evolve.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, legal studies, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• One or more years of experience in trust administration, fiduciary services, wealth management, estate administration, banking operations, financial services, or a related field.
• Working knowledge of trust administration processes, financial account documentation, transaction processing, or fiduciary recordkeeping.
• Ability to read and understand trust agreements and identify provisions relevant to administrative responsibilities..
• Sound judgment and the ability to recognize when a matter requires escalation.
• Ability to handle confidential personal, family, legal, and financial information with discretion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, and the ability to learn trust accounting, workflow, and document management systems.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a growing organization where responsibilities and processes may continue to evolve.

Key Competencies

• High integrity, sound judgment, and respect for fiduciary responsibility.
• Strong attention to detail and disciplined documentation practices.
• Personal accountability and consistent follow-through.
• Ability to identify risks, ask appropriate questions, and escalate issues when necessary.
• Professional and responsive client service.
• Collaborative approach and ability to build productive relationships across functions.
• Willingness to learn, accept feedback, and develop deeper trust administration expertise.

Alta Trust Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team.