Director, Estate Planning

EP Wealth Advisors (EPWA) is a wealth management advisory firm with over $32.6 billion as of March 31, 2025, serving predominately high net worth individuals. EPWA fosters an inclusive environment that offers opportunities for our associates to learn, grow and enhance their skills to take on new challenges to progress in their professional careers.

EP Wealth Advisors is hiring for a Director, Estate Planning.  The Director will be responsible for proactively engaging in firm-wide initiatives for Estate Planning and Trust Services. The Director is in charge of leading a collaborative team with a client-first mindset, ensuring high-quality, responsive support for advisors in a fast-paced environment. This role demands confident, strategic thinking and the ability to provide guidance while managing trustee relationships and estate planning needs across a nationwide client base. You will join a team of dynamic, collaborative, and client-focused professionals who are focused on delivering on our founding core values: Integrity, Entrepreneurial, Inclusion and Connection.

Salary Range: $200,000 - $220,000 plus annual bonus

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Develop and oversee estate planning and trust services strategies in alignment with company goals
• Collaborate with executive leadership to integrate estate planning and trust services
• Rapidly analyze data, documentation, or requests to quickly determine appropriate steps
• Identify and implement systems for innovation, scale and efficiency
• Align with Managing Director of Family Office Services to address client goals
• Assist in the development and structure of the department
• Lead, mentor, and manage team of professionals and staff
• Oversee workload management and staffing needs
• Delegate effectively across team to ensure timely communication and accurate execution
• Provide direction and mentoring to team members while maintaining appropriate oversight
• Conduct internal meetings and collaborate cross-functionally to align initiatives
• Serve as a SME in foundational estate planning, advanced estate planning, estate & gift tax planning
• Work directly with other WMS directors to coordinate comprehensive estate planning initiatives
• Coordinate with the Financial Planning Director to illustrate estate planning concepts in our financial planning software as part of the financial plan delivery
• Review of trust and estate documents for advisory purposes
• Provide advisory services to clients on estate planning, estate tax planning, wealth succession planning and charitable planning
• Facilitate the preparation of estate planning documents by outside counsel
• Identify and maintain strategic partners to assist in the preparation of foundational estate planning documents and advanced estate planning documents
• Maintain relationship with third-party corporate trustee service and its trust officers/administrators
• Provide guidance on trust planning options, trustee selection, and fiduciary risk mitigation
• Act as a knowledge resource for advisors, helping them identify appropriate trustee solutions
• Review internal workflows involving trustee appointments to ensure appropriate oversight
• Maintain documentation, templates and procedures that protect firm and clients
• Oversee Action Plans and validate client-facing disclaimers/disclosures
• Demonstrate maturity and discretion in all interpersonal communication
• Adhere to all company policies and procedures and perform business functions with focus on consistency, quality and compliance
• Partner with advisors and their teams to integrate est