Junior Estate Administrator

Market-related Package

Claremont, Cape Town

A well-established fiduciary services firm is seeking a detail-oriented and professional Junior Estate Administrator to join its team. This opportunity is ideal for a candidate with 1–3 years of experience within a fiduciary or estate administration environment who is looking to grow their career in deceased estate administration.

The successful candidate will be responsible for coordinating the end-to-end administration of low-risk / non-estate dutiable deceased estates in accordance with the Administration of Estates Act, Master’s Office requirements, and internal standard operating procedures.

Key Responsibilities:

Estate Reporting & Master’s Office Administration

• Prepare and submit reporting packs, statutory forms, and supporting documentation to the Master’s Office, including submissions via the Master’s online portal.
• Draft correspondence to the Master’s Office, including explanations, undertakings, and responses to queries.
• Attend at the Master’s Office for lodgements, collections, follow-ups, and urgent enquiries when required.
• Track outstanding matters and follow up on appointments, approvals, queries, and lodged documents until finalisation.
• Engage with heirs and next of kin to obtain instructions, explain the estate process, and gather required information and documentation.
• Compile and quality-check estate reporting documents and supporting schedules.

Estate Administration

• Open and maintain estate files and ensure accurate, audit-ready recordkeeping.
• Liaise with banks, insurers, investment houses, employers, and other institutions to obtain balances, date-of-death values, and supporting documentation.
• Correspond with heirs, beneficiaries, and service providers, ensuring professional communication and timely updates.
• Prepare draft Liquidation and Distribution Accounts and assist with reconciliations of estate assets, liabilities, income, and expenses.
• Assist with tax and compliance documentation and liaise with tax practitioners where required.

Estate Finalisation

• Assist with final reconciliations and settlement of estate liabilities and administration costs.
• Support the process of obtaining tax clearances and ensuring compliance with SARS requirements where applicable.
• Prepare and process beneficiary distributions in line with approved instructions.
• Ensure estate files are properly closed and all documentation is accurately stored upon finalisation.

Minimum Requirements

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Estate Administration (certificate/diploma).
• Candidates currently studying toward a relevant legal qualification will have an advantage.
• 1–3 years’ relevant experience within a fiduciary, legal, or estate administration environment.
• Working knowledge of the Master’s Office processes and the Master’s online portal.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Competencies & Attributes

• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Professional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple matters and follow through on outstanding tasks.
• Strong sense of integrity, accountability, and confidentiality.
• Team-oriented with a client-service mindset.

Apply

If you are passionate about estate administration and looking to build your career within a professional fiduciary environment, we encourage you to apply.