Manager – Estates

Purpose of the Role:

The Manager, Estates leads a specialized team that works closely with executors, advisors, and internal stakeholders to support clients during one of the most sensitive times in their lives. Reporting to the Manager, Client Services this role will help shape the future of our Estates function, coaching and developing the Estates team, improving systems and workflows, and building a high-trust culture rooted in clarity and expertise. 

The role requires a blend of operational strength and people leadership to ensure the team’s work is accurate, compassionate, and efficient, while helping to scale and evolve our service through forward-looking strategic initiatives.  The Manager, Estates will influence not just how the team operates, but how Estates fits into the broader client experience at Nicola Wealth.

This is a hybrid role based in our Toronto or Vancouver offices. 

Core Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach, and support a team of Estate Administrators — including 1:1s, performance reviews, goal setting, and professional development.
• Operationally manage the Estates team to ensure a high standard of service for clients, executors, and advisors — delivering with clarity, empathy, and accountability to SLAs.
• Act as a subject matter expert for estate settlements — supporting complex files, interpreting legal documents (e.g., wills, POAs, trust deeds), and guiding decision-making.
• Participate in or support client and executor meetings for complex files or sensitive cases, ensuring the team delivers with compassion and professionalism.
• Collaborate with advisory teams, our custodian and internal legal teams to ensure settlements align with firm policies, regulations, and planning best practices.
• Support advisors by providing guidance on estate-related planning questions and pre-death scenarios, where appropriate.
• Monitor estate volumes and team capacity; use metrics and feedback loops to identify bottlenecks, risks, and areas for improvement.
• Foster a high-trust, inclusive, and collaborative team environment that encourages open communication, learning, and innovation.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Minimum 8 years of experience in Canadian estate administration, estate planning, or a related financial services field.
• 3+ years of leadership experience, ideally with direct people management.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline.  
• Deep knowledge of the estate settlement process, including advanced understanding of estate law, tax implications at death, and legal document interpretation (e.g., wills, trust deeds, POAs).
• Expertise in trust structures, including requirements and settlement processes at the death of a settlor, trustee, or beneficiary.
• Strong understanding of power of attorney laws and how they vary across Canadian jurisdictions.
• Confident navigating estate-related tax documentation.
• Direct experience working with clients, executors, and advisors, preferably in a high-touch or wealth management environment.
• Track record of leading process simplification and scaling initiatives, including Lean methodology or similar approaches.
• STEP Canada Diploma in Trusts and Estates or equivalent designation is a strong asset.

Compensation & Benefits Package:

This position comes with a base salary range of $95,000 - $120,000 plus a competitive performance bonus, RRSP contribution and participation in our profit-sharing program. Base salary will be commensurate with experience, skills, and qualifications.

At Nicola Wealth, our people grow our business, delight our clients, and live our values every day. Our comprehensive compensation and benefits package reflects our appreciation for this commitment. Whether it’s participating in our profit sharing and benefit programs on day one, or the opportunity to participate in our share ownership program, our people are able to go beyond a conventional salary and bonus structure. To learn more about our complete package, visit: www.nicolawealth.com/total-rewards.