Director of Family Wealth at Columbia Banking System in Phoenix, AZ

Job description

JOB SUMMARY Columbia Trust Company is building a dedicated Multi-Family Office (MFO) practice to serve ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients and families, leveraging Columbia's trust charter and expanded fiduciary and custodial capabilities. The Director of Family Wealth is a senior executive responsible for leading the organization's comprehensive wealth planning and family office strategy — spanning financial planning, estate and trust planning, tax-aware wealth strategies, business-owner advisory, family governance, philanthropy, risk management, and multigenerational wealth transfer. This role establishes the vision, capabilities, and service model necessary to deliver a differentiated, integrated family wealth experience, leading a team of specialized wealth professionals while client facing and partnering closely with relationship managers, private bankers, investment professionals, trust and fiduciary advisors, and other internal and external specialists. About the Role: Family Wealth Strategy & Family Office Leadership Develop and execute the strategic vision for the MFO's Family Wealth and Family Office capabilities, establishing a consistent, scalable service model for UHNW families. Build a comprehensive family office offering — consolidated wealth strategies and reporting, coordination of investment, trust, banking, and lending relationships, family governance, next-generation education, and philanthropic strategy. Define service tiers and engagement models based on client complexity, assets, revenue potential, and family needs. Serve as senior subject-matter expert and thought leader on complex family wealth matters, identifying emerging trends and evolving the platform's advisory capabilities accordingly. Wealth & Estate Planning Provide leadership and oversight for the organization's wealth and estate planning professionals, establishing standards for comprehensive, practical, and actionable planning. Develop advanced planning capabilities for business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, and families experiencing significant liquidity or wealth-transfer events. Partner with fiduciary and trust professionals on sophisticated trust, estate, and wealth-transfer opportunities, ensuring planning drives relationship development and retention. Business Development & Revenue Growth Partner with market leaders, relationship managers, private bankers, investment advisors, and trust professionals to identify and develop high-value opportunities. Participate directly in significant prospective and existing client engagements where advanced planning or family office expertise can differentiate the platform. Drive growth in AUM, fiduciary and trust appointments, lending relationships, planning penetration, share of wallet, and multigenerational client retention. Build relationships with attorneys, accountants, investment bankers, private equity professionals, and other centers of influence serving wealthy families. Business Owner & Liquidity Event Strategy Develop specialized capabilities for entrepreneurs and closely held business owners across the business lifecycle, including succession, pre-transaction planning, and liquidity events. Partner with commercial, investment banking, and private banking teams to identify business owners well before a potential transaction, positioning the team as central advisor before, during, and after the event. Family Governance & Next-Generation Strategy Develop programs that help families transition wealth, values, knowledge, and decision-making responsibilities across generations, including governance structures, family meetings, and education. Create next-generation programs that build financial knowledge, strengthen relationships with heirs, and reduce generational asset attrition. Team Leadership & Enterprise Partnership Lead, develop, and retain a high-performing team of family office professionals and subject-matter experts, with clear performance expectations tied to engagement, plann