Senior Wealth & Trust Advisor

Senior Wealth and Trust Advisor

Baker Boyer is the oldest independently owned community bank in the state of Washington. We are trusted financial advisors, serving the Walla Walla Valley, Kennewick, and Yakima communities, providing wealth management as well as personal and business banking services.

This position is part of DS Baker Advisors, a team of specialists whose goal is to provide comprehensive financial services for all business and high net worth individual clients traversing their wealth journey. DS Baker Advisors takes a client centered approach in meeting their diverse, individualized, and often transforming needs. Should a multi-faceted financial relationship develop, DS Baker Advisors work together to meet the personal, business, investment, planning, and legacy goals of the client.

As a senior member of the DS Baker Advisors team, the primary role of the Senior Wealth and Trust Advisor is the administration, retention, relationship management, and development of complex trust, agency, estate, guardianship, cash management, and retirement accounts.

This role is designed for an experienced professional currently performing similar responsibilities within a wealth management or trust environment who can contribute immediately with minimal training beyond internal systems and processes. The Senior Advisor serves as a trusted fiduciary and central point of coordination for client relationships, delivering thoughtful guidance aligned with each client's financial goals and legacy objectives.

The Senior Advisor will conduct and guide in-depth discovery to understand client circumstances, financial goals, and risk considerations, and will coordinate appropriate strategies and solutions through a team-based approach. While DS Baker Advisors maintains a dedicated Financial Planning department, the Senior Advisor is expected to be fluent in financial planning conceptsable to address foundational questions, facilitate discussions, and partner effectively with planning specialists to deliver comprehensive solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as a primary resource on the DS Baker Advisors team for the administration and management of complex trust and client relationships.
• Serve as the primary advisor for significant and profitable client relationships, while contributing meaningfully within a team-based client service model.
• Demonstrate advanced fiduciary expertise and client service experience in trust management, accounting, or financial services, including management of a book of business.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of financial planning concepts, tax strategies, fiduciary rules and regulations, and the full range of services offered by DS Baker Advisors.
• Facilitate client conversations involving financial planning topics, addressing routine questions and coordinating with internal planning specialists for more complex analysis.
• Actively initiate client retention efforts to strengthen relationships, deepen engagement, and identify opportunities for growth and referrals.
• Actively prospect new opportunities to expand relationships and provide financial services to new clients.
• Provide thoughtful advice, counseling, and solutions to client inquiries and complex situations.
• Partner effectively across departments to deliver responsive and coordinated client service.
• Participate as a contributing member of WMT Department review committees.
• Understand and comply with department practices related to risk management, regulatory requirements, trust policies, and documentation standards.
• Analyze and interpret legal instruments to determine fiduciary responsibilities and associated risks.
• Confer regularly with principals, beneficiaries, and other interested parties regarding trust matters and required actions.

Development Responsibilities:

• Maintain continuing education in fiduciary, financial planning, estate planning, and tax-related topics.
• Develop and maintain relationships with team members and Centers of Influence.
• Participate in community activities and events to support business development and community engagement.

Team Responsibilities:

• Embrace the team advisory approach and build strong internal relationships across departments.
• Participate in pre-planning and strategy meetings to identify opportunities to enhance client relationships.
• Share knowledge and experience with team members, contributing to the development of less experienced colleagues.
• Seek out internal and external expertise as needed to support client needs.
• Ensure all client interactions are documented thoroughly within internal systems and processes.
• Coordinate workflow and provide guidance to associates and support staff on complex matters.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Advanced fiduciary knowledge and experience in trust and estate administration. Strong working knowledge of financial planning concepts and the ability to facilitate client discussions.
• Demonstrated success managing complex client relationships with responsibility for retention and growth.
• Ability to operate independently and contribute immediately with limited onboarding.
• Experience supporting or guiding less experienced team members.
• Strong computer literacy, including Microsoft Office, and ability to learn and utilize internal systems.
• Demonstrated superior client service and relationship management skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and align resources to client needs.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Professional presence and sound judgment in all interactions.

Education and Experience:

• Graduation from a four-year college or university with a degree in finance, accounting, business, or related field.
• CPA or JD highly preferred. Additional credentials such as CTFA, CFA, or CFP are preferred.
• Significant experience in a client-facing advisory role within a wealth management, trust, or financial services environment. Years of experience will vary based on the scope and complexity of prior responsibilities; candidates must demonstrate progression into managing complex client relationships independently.
• Experience should include responsibility for client retention and growth, fiduciary account administration, and the ability to contribute immediately in a senior advisory capacity. Equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge and abilities may be considered.

Physical Demands/Conditions Requirements:

• The job tasks and physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made as appropriate to enable individuals with qualified disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, write, type, speak, & listen. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach, stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Ability to sit at desk and work on computer.
• Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Baker Boyer believes that each employee makes a significant contribution to our success. That contribution should not be limited by the assigned responsibilities. This position description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications, and job scope, but not limit our employees nor the organization to adjust the work identified. It is our expectation that each employee will offer his/her services wherever and whenever necessary to ensure the success of the company.

Baker Boyer is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability or protected veteran status.

Yes. Occasional travel may be required.