Senior Lead Special Needs Trust Advisor

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Help us build a better Wells Fargo. It all begins with outstanding talent. It all begins with you.
Banking, Lending, & Trust (BL&T) unlocks access to Wells Fargo Bank products and services to high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families based on needs related to banking, custom lending, and trust services. These bank specialists leverage resources, valuable research, relationships, custom solutions, and highly tuned strategies to address clients' unique needs and aspirations.
BL&T further provides guidance on a variety of banking and fiduciary topics including investment management, general trust administration, specialty trusts, custody, tax, specialty assets, regulatory, privacy, ecommerce, deposit relationship and strategy, and business strategies. The section also provides support to the WIM Diverse Segments group, including WIM referral activity.
Trust Services Trust advisors discuss the needs of HNW and UHNW clients and provide personalized advice and wealth and asset management services, including:
• Personal trust services.
• Estate services.
• Philanthropic services.
• Closely held asset management.
• Real estate and loan asset management.
• Energy asset management.
• Legacy trust services.
• Special needs trust services.
• Managed Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA)
About this role:
Wells Fargo is seeking a Senior Lead Trust Advisor - Special Needs Trust (Senior Lead Fiduciary Advisory Specialist (LO)) responsible for offering personalized advice and wealth management related to Special Needs Trusts for HNW and UHNW clientele. Learn more about the career areas and lines of business at wellsfargojobs.com .
This team is primarily focused on Special Needs Trusts. This role will be responsible for the review and implementation of complex estate planning documents, identifying problems and issues to mitigate risk, offer solutions, manage beneficiary and centers of influence (COI), work with internal and external partners (i.e., care managers). The advisor offers knowledge of state and federal benefit programs, reviews fiduciary tax returns and delivers outstanding client service. The Special Needs Trust Advisory Specialist is responsible for growing the credibility and enhancing the reputation of Special Needs Trust Services internally and externally. Contribute to the growth of the wealth management business by promoting Special Needs Trust Services including onboarding new Special Needs Trusts and securing future fee business via internal and external presentations, active participation in wealth team meetings, partnering with wealth team members and other partners, and actively seeking opportunities to tell the Special Needs Trust story. Sell the value of the trust services fee to ensure proper pricing of services.
In this role, you will:

• Work with trust partners, attorneys, caseworkers, and other professionals to ensure that Special Needs Trusts are administered in conformity with trust provisions, bank policies, Social Security regulations, Medicaid regulations, and other legal requirements
• Advise leadership to develop or influence objectives, plans, specifications, resources, and long term goals for highly complex financial planning needs
• Lead the strategy and resolution of highly complex planning needs in collaboration with clients and partners
• Deliver solutions that require vision, creativity, innovation, advanced analytical and inductive thinking
• Provide vision, direction and expertise to leadership on implementing innovative and significant business solutions that are large scale cross functional or companywide strategies
• Collaborate and consult with peers, colleagues and managers to resolve issues and achieve goals
• Interact with internal or external customers, Accountants and Attorneys
• Work a book of fiduciary relationships for highly complex high net worth and ultra-high net worth clients, including beneficiary distributions, account oversight and maintenance, and coordination with Portfolio Managers on investment allocation and implementation managing client relationships in accordance with sound fiduciary principles and the policies and procedures established by the firm
• Oversee a team of fiduciary professionals responsible for the administration of trust and other fiduciary accounts; lead team to achieve business objectives and drive execution
• Mentor and guide team members to maximize talent and potential; act as an escalation regarding client-related matters, including the resolution of client complaints and the approval of discretionary distributions
• This LO position has customer contact and job duties which may include needs assessing and referring those customers interested in a dwelling secured product to a SAFE team member. This position includes assisting customers without taking an application and without offering or negotiating terms of a dwelling secured transaction. Individuals in a LO position also must meet the Loan Originator requirements under Regulation Z (LO) outlined in the job expectations below
• The identified region will include Western states.

Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years of Fiduciary Advisory experience, or equivalent demonstrated through one or a combination of the following: work experience, training, military experience, education

Desired Qualifications:

• CTFA, JD, L.L.M or CFP designation
• Extensive experience in administering complex special needs trust accounts as an attorney or trust officer; expert knowledge of complex estate planning techniques and fiduciary laws; in-depth knowledge of fiduciary income tax
• Demonstrated experience in growing fiduciary business and supporting financial advisors and private bankers to serve their clientele

Job Expectations:

• Ability to travel up to 50% to join client and Financial Advisor meetings
• Individuals in Loan Originator (LO) positions must meet the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau qualification requirements and comply with related Wells Fargo policies. The LO qualification requirements include meeting applicable financial responsibility, character, general financial fitness and criminal background standards. A current credit report will be used to assess your financial responsibility and credit fitness, however, a credit score is not included as part of the evaluation. Successful candidates must also meet ongoing regulatory requirements including additional screening, if necessary
• This role will have a 2-week Required Absence

Pay Range
Reflected is the base pay range offered for this position. Pay may vary depending on factors including but not limited to demonstrated examples of prior performance, skills, experience, or work location. Employees may also be eligible for incentive opportunities.
$191,000.00 - $305,000.00
Benefits
Wells Fargo provides eligible employees with a comprehensive set of benefits, many of which are listed below. Visit Benefits - Wells Fargo Jobs for an overview of the following benefit plans and programs offered to employees.

• Health benefits
• 401(k) Plan
• Paid time off
• Disability benefits
• Life insurance, critical illness insurance, and accident insurance
• Parental leave
• Critical caregiving leave
• Discounts and savings
• Commuter benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• Scholarships for dependent children
• Adoption reimbursement

Posting End Date:
24 Jul 2026
* Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants.
We Value Equal Opportunity
Wells Fargo 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, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected characteristic.
Employees support our focus on building strong customer relationships balanced with a strong risk mitigating and compliance-driven culture which firmly establishes those disciplines as critical to the success of our customers and company. They are accountable for execution of all applicable risk programs (Credit, Market, Financial Crimes, Operational, Regulatory Compliance), which includes effectively following and adhering to applicable Wells Fargo policies and procedures, appropriately fulfilling risk and compliance obligations, timely and effective escalation and remediation of issues, and making sound risk decisions. There is emphasis on proactive monitoring, governance, risk identification and escalation, as well as making sound risk decisions commensurate with the business unit's risk appetite and all risk and compliance program requirements.
Applicants with Disabilities
To request a medical accommodation during the application or interview process, visit Disability Inclusion at Wells Fargo .
Drug and Alcohol Policy
Wells Fargo maintains a drug free workplace. Please see our Drug and Alcohol Policy to learn more.
Wells Fargo Recruitment and Hiring Requirements:
a. Third-Party recordings are prohibited unless authorized by Wells Fargo.
b. Wells Fargo requires you to directly represent your own experiences during the recruiting and hiring process.