The Vault Custodian supports the Institutional and Wealth Management businesses by safeguarding, processing, and reconciling high-value physical assets held in custody for trust and institutional clients. These assets may include physical stock and bond certificates, notes, life insurance policies, patents, trademarks, and other original legal documents that require secure, physical storage. This role plays a critical part in the end-to-end custody lifecycle – from intake and validation, through vault storage and recordkeeping, to audit support and final settlement. The work is highly controlled, detail-oriented, and performed under strict dual-control and regulatory standards to ensure accuracy, security, and compliance.
What You’ll Do:
Serve as a dedicated vault custodian, supporting trust accounts that hold physical securities and legal documents.
Review incoming requests submitted through an internal ticketing platform; validate instructions, documentation, and completeness before initiating processing in custody systems.
Participate in a controlled, multi-step custody process, including: initial review and system entry of custody instructions; independent verification of data and documentation; physical handling, matching, and vaulting of original documents; final quality review and settlement into the system of record; perform physical processing of documents, including retrieving, pairing, storing, and releasing assets in accordance with approved instructions.
Process and track securities movements such as free receipts, free deliveries, internal transfers, and DTC deposits.
Conduct exception research and follow-up for vault and depository activity; resolve issues by working with internal partners and external counterparties.
Complete periodic and annual vault reconciliations, research discrepancies, and provide documentation for internal and external audits.
Maintain accurate documentation and records using internal systems and tools such as SEI, Excel, Teams, and SharePoint.
Operate within strict dual-control and access protocols, including two-person vault entry/exit and independent verification requirements.
Identify, escalate, and document risk, compliance, or security issues in accordance with internal risk and regulatory standards.
Contribute ideas for process improvement and operational efficiency while maintaining control integrity.
Manage priorities effectively to meet service-level expectations and deadlines.
What Makes This Role Unique:
This is a hands-on custody role – not a desk-only operations position.
You are directly responsible for protecting original, irreplaceable client assets.
Precision, judgment, and integrity matter as much as speed.
Independence is expected, but work is highly collaborative.
Education and Experience Required:
Associate’s degree, or equivalent work experience
1+ years’ general work experience
Ability to lift, carry, push, pull, and move boxes weighing approximately 20-30 pounds; reach, bend, and stand as needed for vault activities
Education and Experience Preferred:
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
Ability to work independently in a structured, regulated environment
Comfortable working under time constraints and service expectations
2+ years of experience in banking, custody operations, trust services, securities processing, or document custody
Prior experience handling physical assets or original documents (e.g., banking vaults, trust companies, accounting firms, custodial services, or similar environments)
Understanding of the importance of document security, chain of custody, and control procedures
Familiarity with trust accounting systems, bank operations platforms, and general accounting principles
Excel skills
Work Model/Office Location:
This is a 100% onsite position requiring five days in office per week.
Eligible candidates must live within commuting distance to 1100 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801.
Scheduled Shift/Required Availability:
Monday-Friday, 7:45am-4:15pm
M&T Bank is committed to fair, competitive, and market-informed pay for our employees. The pay range for this position is $22.61 - $37.67 Hourly (USD). The successful candidate’s particular combination of knowledge, skills, and experience will inform their specific compensation.
Wilmington, Delaware, United States of America
Great companies have an enduring sense of purpose. At M&T, our purpose is a simple one: make a difference in people’s lives and uplift the communities we serve. Founded in 1856 in Buffalo, NY we are now a top 11 full-service US-based commercial bank with a retail footprint across the east coast and wealth services available nationwide and abroad. As a bank, we offer advice, guidance, expertise, and solutions across the entire financial spectrum that combines M&T’s traditional banking services with the wealth management and institutional capabilities offered by Wilmington Trust. We are a community-minded organization with more than 167 years of experience. We serve customers, community, and colleagues whether they be across the street, across the state or across the country.
As an employer of choice, we are proud to offer competitive benefits ranging from medical and retirement to forty hours of paid volunteer time, each year. Our core values drive the work we do – integrity, ownership, collaboration, curiosity, candor and we seek to further build upon our record of success by bringing in top talent and fresh skill sets while continuing to support the growth and development of all our team members.
M&T Bank is unwavering when it comes to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, age, disability, citizenship, pregnancy, veteran status, military status, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local laws.
