Administrative Assistant AA-SK-19-06

Administrative Assistant

Full Time Temporary Position (up to 1 year, 30 hours per week)

Saskatoon Office

Headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Suncorp Valuations is a dynamic growth-oriented leader in the valuation industry, providing full service appraisal and valuation consulting services. Through offices in Canada and the U.S.A., we offer a range of valuation and costing services for land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and for intangible assets such as patents, copyrights and franchises.  Utilizing robust research methodologies, valuation consultants develop reports that provide an opinion of value for assessed property and other assets. Clients utilize reports for a variety of needs including regulatory compliance, financing, litigation support, mergers and acquisitions, purchase price allocation, insurance placement and claims settlement. Our risk management department assists clients by identifying and mitigating risks such as the potential for accidents, property damage and theft.  For further details please refer to our website at www.suncorpvaluations.com

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Manager of Business Development in our Saskatoon Office, the incumbent performs a variety of administrative duties and data entry functions that assist the Business Development team in generating new proposals, setting up sold appraisal assignments, organizing events, scheduling, scanning of documents, and other administrative duties.  The individual in this role is involved in all aspects of the client proposal development process including the drafting of proposals, updating client information and follow-up with clients via telephone and email.  A central activity is leveraging stakeholder support and managing internal communication to ensure that client deadlines are met.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Along with the required credentials, you are friendly and enjoy communicating on the phone. You excel at time management, are able to balance conflicting priorities, problem solving, manage a high workload, meet deadlines, and be a strong team player. You are naturally focused on providing high levels of client service and ensure accuracy of your work through inquiry and well-honed proofreading skills. You are able to work independently and communicate openly with business partners to ensure work is completed to required standards and within given timelines. You are flexible and adapt easily to new procedures while at the same time managing tasks that may be repetitive in nature. You have strong technical skills, enjoy finding efficiencies within systems, and learning new skills. You are innovative, curious, and eager to assist in ways that will add value to the business.      

REQUIREMENTS

  • A certificate or diploma from a recognized administrative program;
  • Two to three years office administrative or related experience;
  • Extensive experience using Microsoft Office Suite;
  • Experience supporting a Business Development/Marketing team will be considered an asset;
  • Strong social media knowledge and experience will be considered an asset;
  • Exceptional written and oral English language skills;
  • Proficient, accurate and fast keyboarding skills;
  • High levels of accuracy gleaned by initimate attention to detail.

ROLE COMPETENCIES: 

  • Outgoing, friendly with pleasant and professional manner;
  • Outstanding organizational and time management skills;.
  • Can work competently without supervision;
  • Proactive, with a desire to drive results and exceed goals;
  • Determined and hardworking with high personal and professional standards;
  • Able to support and collaborate with internal stakeholders;
  • Solid listening, verbal and written communication skills;
  • Adaptable and flexible to meet the needs of the business.

We pride ourselves in offering flexible work arrangements that allow our employees to balance work and life commitments.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

  • Send your resume and cover letter to HR@suncorpvaluations.com
  • Deadline: April 1, 2019

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

 

Apply Now

  • Max. file size: 100 MB.
  • Max. file size: 100 MB.
  • File types permitted for upload are: doc, docx, txt, rtf, pdf

Administrative Assistant AA-ON-19-05

Administrative Assistant

Full time Permanent Position

Toronto Office

Headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Suncorp Valuations is a dynamic growth-oriented leader in the valuation industry, providing full service appraisal and valuation consulting services. Through offices in Canada and the U.S.A., we offer a range of valuation and costing services for land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and for intangible assets such as patents, copyrights and franchises.  Utilizing robust research methodologies, valuation consultants develop reports that provide an opinion of value for assessed property and other assets. Clients utilize reports for a variety of needs including regulatory compliance, financing, litigation support, mergers and acquisitions, purchase price allocation, insurance placement and claims settlement. Our risk management department assists clients by identifying and mitigating risks such as the potential for accidents, property damage and theft.  For further details please refer to our website at www.suncorpvaluations.com

THE ROLE

Reporting to the Manager of Business Development in our Toronto Office, the incumbent performs a variety of administrative duties and data entry functions that assist the Business Development team in generating new proposals, setting up sold appraisal assignments, organizing events, scheduling, scanning of documents, and other administrative duties.  The individual in this role is involved in all aspects of the client proposal development process including the drafting of proposals, updating client information and follow-up with clients via telephone and email.  A central activity is leveraging stakeholder support and managing internal communication to ensure that client deadlines are met.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Along with the required credentials, you are friendly and enjoy communicating on the phone. You excel at time management, are able to balance conflicting priorities, problem solving, manage a high workload, meet deadlines, and be a strong team player. You are naturally focused on providing high levels of client service and ensure accuracy of your work through inquiry and well-honed proofreading skills. You are able to work independently and communicate openly with business partners to ensure work is completed to required standards and within given timelines. You are flexible and adapt easily to new procedures while at the same time managing tasks that may be repetitive in nature. You have strong technical skills, enjoy finding efficiencies within systems, and learning new skills. You are innovative, curious, and eager to assist in ways that will add value to the business.      

REQUIREMENTS

  • A certificate or diploma from a recognized administrative program;
  • Two to three years office administrative or related experience;
  • Extensive experience using Microsoft Office Suite;
  • Experience supporting a Business Development/Marketing team will be considered an asset;
  • Strong social media knowledge and experience will be considered an asset;
  • Exceptional written and oral English language skills;
  • Proficient, accurate and fast keyboarding skills;
  • High levels of accuracy gleaned by intimate attention to detail.

ROLE COMPETENCIES: 

  • Outgoing, friendly with pleasant and professional manner;
  • Outstanding organizational and time management skills;
  • Can work competently without supervision;
  • Proactive, with a desire to drive results and exceed goals;
  • Determined and hardworking with high personal and professional standards;
  • Able to support and collaborate with internal stakeholders;
  • Solid listening, verbal and written communication skills;
  • Adaptable and flexible to meet the needs of the business.

We pride ourselves in offering flexible work arrangements that allow our employees to balance work and life commitments.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

  • Send your resume and cover letter to HR@suncorpvaluations.com
  • Deadline: April 1, 2019

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

Apply Now

  • Max. file size: 100 MB.
  • Max. file size: 100 MB.
  • File types permitted for upload are: doc, docx, txt, rtf, pdf

Software Developer IT-SK-19-07

Software Developer

The Company

Headquartered in Saskatoon, Suncorp Valuations is a dynamic growth-oriented leader in the global valuation industry.  Through offices in Canada and the U.S.A, we offer a full range of valuation, consulting and costing services for land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and for intangible assets such as patents, copyrights and franchises.

Utilizing robust research methodologies, valuation consultants develop reports that provide an opinion of value for assessed property and other assets.  Clients utilize reports for a variety of requirements including regulatory compliance, financing, litigation support, mergers and acquisitions, purchase price allocation, insurance placement and claims settlement.

Risk Management Services assist clients by identifying and mitigating risks such as the potential for accidents, property damage and theft.  For further details please refer to our website at www.suncorpvaluations.com.  Suncorp provides employee benefits, transit allowance, along with Short Term Incentive and RRSP programs.

The Role

Reporting to the VP of Operations, the Software Developer is pivotal position in our IT Department.  The Software Developer will work with a small team of developers to enhance, maintain, and develop software that is critical to sustaining and streamlining business operations.  The role is interesting and provides the opportunity to participate in all phases of the software development lifecycle including determination of requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance, and support.  The incumbent works closely with stakeholders to identify requirements and with the development team to set priorities and deadlines.  Along with software development the Software Developer will be responsible for the maintenance and expansion of our reporting systems including both client facing and internal management reports.  Supporting the existing and new software post deployment is also a key part of this role.

The Ideal Candidate

Along with the required credentials and impressive technical skills, you are excited about joining a dedicated, passionate team that creates innovative software solutions.  You bring a solid understanding of developing software in a multi-tiered environment to the role.  Although you are able to work independently, you thrive in a team environment and are able to appropriately leverage the knowledge of coworkers to overcome difficult challenges.  You enjoy working in a small office, while collaborating with stakeholders in other offices.  You easily manage multiple priorities and are naturally focussed on providing internal stakeholders with high quality service.  You are forward thinking and resilient when faced with setbacks.  On a personal note you are interested in developing your career through on-going professional development.  

The Requirements

  • Post-secondary Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or Computer Engineering or an equivalent combination of education and experience;
  • 2-3 years of software design and development;
  • Experience with VB.NET, TSQL is preferred;
  • Familiarity with Crystal Reports, SSRS, or similar report writer;
  • Understanding of SQL, relational databases, and database administration;
  • Understanding of networking protocols and technologies;
  • Proficiency with Windows operating systems and domain environments.

The Competencies 

  • A genuine desire to go above and beyond to provide excellence in client service;
  • Proactive, with a desire to drive results and exceed goals;
  • Strong planning, organizational and time management skills;
  • Ability to balance competing and changing priorities between project and non-project work;
  • Strong problem solving skills with ability to analyze and understand data;
  • Detail oriented and organized with strong analytical skills;
  • Self-motivated with strong oral and written communication skills;
  • A strong team player that demonstrates integrity and ownership;
  • Proven experience working in a cross-functional team environment;
  • Capable of writing clear and complete technical and functional specifications.

We pride ourselves in offering flexible work arrangements that allow our employees to balance work and life commitments.

The Application Process
Please send an email to address below providing the following information:

  • Email: HR@suncorpvaluations.com
  • Subject: IT-SK-19-07
  • Deadline: April 1, 2019

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

 

Apply Now

  • Max. file size: 100 MB.
  • Max. file size: 100 MB.
  • File types permitted for upload are: doc, docx, txt, rtf, pdf

Agricultural Land Price Trends. Will Values Increase?

Agricultural land value trends are on the rise. As the graph below illustrates, the world population has increased dramatically since the Industrial Revolution, circa 1800. (1)

World Population Growth Chart

Will Farmland Price Values Increase Over Time?

The world population growth coincides with access to energy, which led to innovation in creating and managing food supply. As a full service appraisal firm with offices across North America and completing engagements worldwide, we are often called to assist firms with the valuation of facilities involved in food processing. As many of our clients have grown their facility footprint, we have seen dramatic jumps in the value of agricultural land that provide the inputs for their processing. Unlike new facilities, agricultural land cannot be created. Combine the population growth with the effects of climate change, and it is easy to see the trend for agricultural land values across the globe will continue to rise.

Agriculture Land Price Trends in Europe

Europe continues to lead the pace of growth in agricultural land values.

2016 National and Regional Prices of Arable Land

In 2016, the exchange rate for Euros to US Dollars was 1 to 1.24; accordingly 63,000 Euros (the benchmark price per hectare in the Netherlands) converted to $78,031 US Dollars. Converting hectares to acres at 1 to 2.5 meant that the land agricultural land value in the Netherlands was $31,200 US Dollars per acre. (2)

Agriculture Land Price Trends in North America

In the United States and Canada, we see the escalation in agricultural land values as well. For 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture shows the benchmark value across the country at $3,080 per acre, up from $3,010 per acre in 2016. (3)

US Chart for Average Farm real Estate Value Trends

In Canada, percentage growth rates for agricultural land continues to grow, taking the province of Saskatchewan as an example, you see the benchmark prices per acre trending up-wards. (4)

Percent Change In Farmland Values

Measuring The Risk of Farmland Ownership

Given the trend of rising agricultural values, it is interesting to measure the risk of land ownership. This graph illustrates the security of owning land in various countries as developed by Savills Research. They leveraged various reports and data sources to the lay the foundations of the matrix. Savills Research from 2002 to 2016 highlighted the strong and steady rise in the value of farmland globally. (5)

Farmland Risk & Value Scores

Agricultural Land Price Values Will Continue To Rise

We assert that world agricultural land values will continue to rise in the next 3 to 5 years, in particular in those countries where an adequate risk/benefit score can be achieved, such as shown by the above graph.

 

CONTACT SUNCORP NOW

 

Gorgeous Farmland

 

REFERENCES:

Gail Tverberg (2012). How Energy Shapes the Economy. The Energy Collective Group

Sara Schafer (2018). Which European Countries Have the Most Expensive Farmland?

USDA (2017). Land Values 2017 Summary

Farm Credit Canada (2017). 2017 FCC Farmland Values Report

Savills World Research (2016). Global Farmland Index

The Insurance Market Is Changing

Natural Disasters Are On The Rise and The Insurance Market Is Changing – are you prepared?

natural-disaster-flood

 

The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) has released its report on Economic Losses, Poverty and Disasters 1998-2017. The reports opening comments paint the reality of a changing landscape for the insurance market.

“If development and economic growth are not risk informed, they are not sustainable and can undermine efforts to build resilience. The economic losses which often ensue from the creation of new risk or exacerbation of existing levels of risk can have a significant human cost.” (1)

As the graph below depicts, the occurrence and the cost of natural disasters is increasing dramatically (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) (2):

suncorp-natural-disasters-on-the-rise-stats

The implications of these natural disasters and their increasing frequency and severity has a material effect on the insurance industry. For the first time in several years we are seeing the signs of the insurance market hardening, this means you as property owners and/or tenants may face revised policy wordings and certainly increasing premiums.

The Canadian Underwriter magazine recently polled commercial brokers, they expressed that premiums are on the rise and there is concern among them about the implications to their clients.
“Ninety-one percent of commercial brokers surveyed by Canadian Underwriter reported seeing price increases in Canadian commercial property lines.

Fifty-nine percent of commercial brokers said higher prices in commercial property lines has had “some” impact on their clients. A further 26% described the impact as large.”(3)

The Canadian experience of natural disasters follows the pattern of worldwide losses, an alarming trend (McGillivray, 2016) (4):

 

suncorp-insurance-changing-natural-disasters

 

As property owners and/or tenants, we would encourage you to look at your insurance program against the back-drop of the increase in natural disasters driven by climate change and the likely changes to occur as underwriters are dealing with these variables as they develop insurance premiums. You need to understand your exposure, your values, your risk management strategies and your policy wordings. Being forewarned will assist you exponentially in the event of a loss.

One of the best sources of information we have come across is the recently produced brief by BOMA Canada – their 2019 Resilience Brief. A very worthwhile read as you meet with your broker(s) to consider your insurance program.

 

CONTACT SUNCORP NOW

 

natural-disaster-fire-795x500

 

REFERENCES:

Pascaline Wallemacq & Rowena House (2018). Economic Losses, Poverty & Disasters 1998-2017. UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2018)

David Gambill (2019). What commercial brokers are saying about the worrisome market turn. Canadian Underwriter Magazine

McGillivray, G. (2016). Catastrophic Loss Trends in Canada. Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction