
Director, Trust Management CAO
Required skills
- Trust Company
- administration
- governance
- operating model
- account acceptance policy
- onboarding policies
- administration policies
- discretionary decision support
- reviews
- exceptions
Nice to have
- Master's in finance
- Juris Doctor
- Professional trust designation
- fiduciary designation
- wealth management designation
- risk designation
Role summary
The Chief Administration Officer (CAO) provides enterprise leadership for a Trust Company's administration and operating model, translating trust strategy into coordinated plans for account administration, governance, and partner support. This role establishes and oversees operating routines across the trust lifecycle to ensure timely, consistent, and well-documented administration and fiduciary decisions. The CAO leads the resolution of complex business, control, service, and partner issues impacting trust quality, regulatory readiness, operational resilience, or client experience. They sponsor improvements to strengthen documentation, process scalability, governance evidence, and cross-functional coordination, partnering closely with investment, risk, legal, compliance, operations, technology, and client-facing leaders to align administrative practices with fiduciary obligations, enterprise standards, and strategic priorities.
Opportunity Overview
The Chief Administration Officer provides enterprise leadership for the Trust Company’s administration and operating model, translating trust strategy into coordinated plans for account administration, governance, , and partner support. The role establishes and oversees operating routines across the trust lifecycle to promote timely, consistent, and well-documented administration and fiduciary decisions. The Chief Administration Officer leads the resolution of complex business, control, service, and partner issues that may affect trust quality, regulatory readiness, operational resilience, or client experience, and sponsors improvements that strengthen documentation, process scalability, governance evidence, and cross-functional coordination. In close partnership with investment, risk, legal, compliance, operations, technology, and client-facing/segment leaders, the role ensures that administrative practices remain aligned with fiduciary obligations, enterprise standards, and the Trust Company’s strategic priorities.Primary Enterprise Accountabilities
- Translate Trust Company strategy into integrated administration, governance, and operating plans across assigned businesses and workstreams.
- Oversee trust lifecycle routines, including account acceptance policy, onboarding policies, administration policies, discretionary decision support, reviews, exceptions, issue escalation, and account termination.
- Establish clear decision rights, service expectations, governance forums, management information, and escalation pathways across trust administration teams and partners.
- Drive timely resolution of business, operational, control, documentation, and service issues, balancing fiduciary responsibilities, client needs, risk considerations, and execution feasibility.
- Sponsor process simplification, standardization, automation, capacity improvements, and controls that support scalable and sustainable growth.
- Promote consistent fiduciary judgment, role clarity, talent capability, and accountability across trust administration leadership and teams.
Expected Leadership Outcomes
- Consistent, high-quality administration and fiduciary execution across the trust lifecycle.
- Demonstrable regulatory readiness supported by clear governance evidence and disciplined issue management.
- Scalable operating practices that improve service, capacity, control effectiveness, and partner coordination.
- Timely executive visibility to material risks, service concerns, operating trends, and strategic decisions.
Position Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Law, Wealth Management, Organizational Leadership, or a related discipline required.
- Advanced degree preferred (MBA, Master's in finance, Juris Doctor, or related field).
- Professional trust, fiduciary, wealth management, risk, or financial services designation preferred (CTFA, CFP®, CFA®, CPA, CRCM, or equivalent).
- Demonstrated knowledge of trust administration, fiduciary governance, regulatory requirements, risk management, and financial services operating models.
- Continuing education and professional development in trust, fiduciary, regulatory, governance, or operational leadership disciplines strongly preferred.
Company Description
Join a financial services firm where your contributions are valued. Edward Jones is a Fortune 500¹ company where people come first. With over 9 million clients and 20,000 financial advisors across the U.S. and Canada, we’re proud to be privately-owned, placing the focus on our clients rather than shareholder returns.Behind everything we do is our purpose: We partner for positive impact to improve the lives of our clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. We are an innovative, flexible, and inclusive organization that attracts, develops, and inspires performance excellence and a sense of belonging.
People are at the center of our partnership. Edward Jones associates are seen, heard, respected, and supported. This is what we believe makes us the best place to start or build your career.
View our Purpose, Inclusion and Citizenship Report.
¹Fortune 500, published June 2024, data as of December 2023. Compensation provided for using, not obtaining, the rating.
Awards and Accolades
At Edward Jones, we are building a place where everyone feels like they belong. We're proud of our associates' contributions to the firm and the recognitions we have received.Check out our U.S. awards and accolades: Insights & Information Blog Postings about Edward Jones
Check out our Canadian awards and accolades: Insights & Information Blog Postings about Edward Jones
EEO Statement
Edward Jones does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.
