Senior Lease Negotiator

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Receivable Leasing Manager, the Senior Lease Negotiator is responsible, on behalf of the Province as landlord, for the negotiation and documentation of leases and associated agreements (e.g. licenses, access agreements, assignments, etc.) as part of the department’s policy to maximize use of program and surplus government owned or leased real estate assets.

Responsibilities include negotiating the commercial and financial terms of a broad variety of agreements with consolidated entities and non-government users (NGUs) of government owned/leased space, preparing enforceable contracts, coordinating with external groups to protect prior legal obligations arising from executed agreements, providing comprehensive leasing services to internal and external parties including other departments, proposing innovative ways of doing business, ensuring the lease inventory is managed in a professional and efficient manner, assisting in the supervision of staff, and participating in goal setting and acting as a team member to accomplish goals as established in the department business plan.

The primary responsibilities for the Senior Lease Negotiator include, but are not limited to:

• Negotiating and drafting enforceable leases and associated agreements on behalf of the department as landlord to maximize use of surplus and program government owned or leased spaces in accordance with department policy, contractual and commercial practice.
• Identifying issues arising from lease obligations as they conflict with other interests and advising other business units in consultation with Justice, with regard to appropriate solutions to issues. The negotiator must have the ability to recognize the contractual issues arising from the competing interests.
• Providing sophisticated lease information to senior management, Asset Management, Property Management, ASD, Capital Projects, and agencies, including leasing policies & practices, market rates, document interpretation, and lease strategies.
• Monitoring changes in legislation, court decisions, and lease rate compensation cases (eg. Surface Rights Board decisions). Interpret the effect of such changes on lease projects, and keep project stakeholders informed.
• Providing accurate financial summaries of each project to Business Services to ensure that the financial terms of completed projects are properly recorded in the financial data systems. Act as a resource to Business Services to interpret financial terms of agreements as required.
• Assisting in the supervision of staff.
• Participate in establishing goals within the Receivable Leasing team to complement the branch’s and department’s goals.

The successful candidate will have:

• Conflict resolution, problem-solving and diplomacy.
• Strong computer skills with the ability to adapt quickly to and use a variety of specialized databases: Building and Lands Inventory Management System, Grants and Municipal Affairs System, 1GX, SPIN II (Land Titles), Corporate Registry, Federal Corporations Database Online, Lease Information System and Lease Status System and MS Office suite.
• Negotiating strategy experience and familiarity with real estate contractual procedures.
• The ability to effectively communicate with real estate professionals, peers, tenants, planners, property managers, and lawyers. Fully utilize electronic communications as well as having excellent written and oral skills.

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

• Agility: Ability to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, manage resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively work in a changing environment.
• Develop Networks: Proactively building networks, connecting and building trust in relationships with different stakeholders.
• Systems Thinking: Understands how work contributes to the achievement of department goals. Anticipates change in own area based on activities in other areas.
• Creative Problem Solving: Ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Qualifications

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Required:

• Bachelor of Law Degree (LL. B) / Juris Doctor (JD), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) or related discipline.
• 4 years progressively responsible related experience in commercial leasing, real estate and contracts, negotiating and documenting a wide variety of transactions.

Equivalency: Related experience or education (e.g. related diploma) may be considered as an equivalency on a one for one basis.

Assets:

• Legal experience with real estate contracts is preferred.
• Lease rental market research and analysis experience.
• Highly developed drafting skills for legally complex leases and associated documents.

Notes

This position is a permanent, full-time role, with the standard weekly work hours of 36.25, Monday to Friday (8:15 am – 4:30 pm).

Location: Edmonton AB

Pre-Employment Checks will be completed to assess the candidate’s suitability for a role. These checks may include (but are not limited to): references, criminal record check, academic verification, etc.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what the Government of Alberta has to offer to prospective employees:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.