Manager, Property Taxes

**Description**

**Being part of Air Canada is to become part of an iconic Canadian symbol, recently ranked the best Airline in North America. Let your career take flight by joining our diverse and vibrant team at the leading edge of passenger aviation.**

Reporting to the Senior Director, Commodity Taxes, the Manager, Commodity Taxes will be responsible to identify and provide a wide range of valuation services designed to manage Air Canada's global property assessments and property taxes efficiently and effectively. The incumbent will also be responsible to analyse and develop processes to maximize tax saving opportunities and mitigate tax exposures.

**This position may be located in Montreal or Toronto.**

**Key functions and Responsibilities**
- Ensure the verification of all real estate tax assessments for Air Canada's properties across the network.
- Oversee the validation and approval of all tax invoices.
- In collaboration with the Senior Director, manage the preparation and tracking of the annual budget estimated at $20M per annum.
- Liaise with Taxing Authorities to ensure that refunds resulting from modifications to assessments are processed.
- Determine if any assessment should be referred to external tax consultants.
- Negotiate contracts with external consultants and establish the basis of the fee to be paid in relationship to expected tax savings or precedents that may be established.
- Liaise with Assessing Authorities on a regular basis to keep them abreast of important modifications to Air Canada's accounts.
- As required, prepare cases for hearings before the Board of Revision or before a Court of justice. Coordinate such proceedings between Air Canada's Law Branch, external legal firms, and external consultants.
- Coordinate with internal Government Affairs team when new legislation is being drafted by Federal, Provincial, State or Municipal authorities.
- In collaboration with the Senior Director, counsel management in matters pertaining to property taxes and/or in the interpretation of current tax legislation.
- Maintain a close and credible relationship with assessment officers.
- Oversee verification of new tax levies; ensure legality and equity. Appeal unacceptable tax levies as warranted.
- Ensure computerized assessments and tax records for payments are maintained and updated to reflect actual expenditures.
- Review leases and agreements to ensure Property Tax clauses are consistent with industry standards and Air Canada corporate objectives.
- Provide guidance to the Corporate Real Estate team in real estate evaluation and taxation matters; land rent revisions, market value analysis of buildings and lands and forecast of property taxes required for internal authorization requests
- Analyze and prepare complex valuations and cost of capital financial models.
- Identify opportunities to minimize the organization's property tax liabilities in accordance with generally accepted valuation principles and local laws.
- Work closely with Corporate Real Estate team and other stakeholders to ensure continuous collaboration with the Tax Department.
- Develop guidelines, training materials, job aids for Tax Department and other stakeholders as required.
- Assist the Senior Director, Commodity Taxes with all other related tasks.

**Qualifications**
- Completion of an undergraduate degree or diploma degree in Commerce, Business or Finance.
- Completion of Valuation Courses / Valuation degree/designation is an asset.
- Minimum of five years' experience in the property tax assessment industry and/or real estate industry.
- Ability to accurately interpret Government legislation and regulations as well as Municipal Bylaws relating to taxation and assessment
- Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to be a team player.
- Strong analytical skills combined with a demonstrated ability to handle multiple files.
- Excellent organizational skills, autonomy, and ability to work under pressure.
- Strong mathematical skills with attention to detail and accuracy of records
- Excellent communication skills, oral and written.

**Conditions of Employment**:

Mandatory Covid-19 Vaccination Required

**Linguistic Requirements**

**Diversity and Inclusion**

Air Canada is strongly committed to Diversity and Inclusion and aims to create a healthy, accessible and rewarding work environment which highlights employees' unique contributions to our company's success.