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Duties

WHAT IS THE TAXPAYER ADVOCATE SERVICE (TAS) DIVISION? A description of the business units can be found at: https://www.jobs.irs.gov/about/who/business-divisions Vacancies will be filled in the following specialty areas: Taxpayer Advocate Service DEDCA The following are the duties of this position at the full working level. If this vacancy includes more than one grade and you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform these duties and receive training to help you grow in this position. The incumbent provides assistance to the taxpayer in technical and procedural tax cases covering the full range of cases and issues encountered in the TAS office while concentrating on those with the most complicating or specialized factors. The Case Advocate represents the office in advocating these cases involving complications and specialized issues for the taxpayer with the IRS' operating/functional divisions (OD/Fs) to resolve issues. Takes corrective action within TAS statutory and delegated authorities, including development of cases for purpose of recommending the issuance of Taxpayer Assistance Orders. Confers with the taxpayer who has experienced a delay beyond normal processing time, a significant hardship, or where systemic issues have been identified and actions taken, clarifying the basis of the complicating problem and citing applicable laws as necessary. Educates taxpayers and/or their representatives regarding tax obligations, responsibilities, rights, and options, including possible adverse consequences of decisions. Fully advises taxpayer of all rights and, as applicable, secures agreement of taxpayer to final decision. Performs specialized research, analysis, and necessary computations to make adjustments to taxpayers' accounts that have specialized factors. Using highly developed institutional knowledge of internal processes, solves vexing process and procedural problems of cases. Per the TAS/IRS service level agreements, recommends adjustments as appropriate and initiates credit transfers, payment tracers, and computations to tax, penalty, and interest. Prepares manual refunds, makes abatements, and prepares and executes waivers to extend statutes within TAS statutory and delegated authorities. Provides guidance to targeted audiences in seminars, speeches, and workshops. Provides in-house training and assistance to lower-level employees as necessary. In an as needed capacity, answers telephone calls from taxpayers from a published telephone line. Incumbent determines whether calls meet TAS criteria for handling a case and directs calls or gives information to taxpayer.

Requirements

Qualifications

Federal experience is not required. The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume. You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement: GENERAL EXPERIENCE: GS-05 Level: You must have 3 years of general experience, 1 year of which was experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-4 grade level in the Federal service. General experience for this position includes: Experience that demonstrates the ability to analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; plan and organize work; communicate effectively orally and in writing. Such experience may have been gained in government, business or industry, investigative work, banking, law, accounting, or other work appropriate to the position to be filled. OR You may substitute education for general experience as follows: Four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-07 Level: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience advising & assisting others in order to explain issues related to meeting Federal tax obligations. Experience applying knowledge of business practices, policies, procedures, basic accounting principles, and Federal tax laws & regulations. Experience interviewing individuals and reviewing tax and bookkeeping records and returns. Experience analyzing systems using fact-finding techniques. OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: One (1) full year of graduate education in a field of study such as: accounting, finance, taxation, business administration or other related fields. OR Superior Academic Achievement - A Bachelor's degree, with one of the following: A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses or those completed in the last 2 years of study, or a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all courses in the major field of study or those courses in the major completed in the last 2 years of study, or rank in the upper one third of the class in the college, university, or major subdivision, or membership in a national honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-09 Level: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience applying basic accounting principles, examination techniques & collection processes to assist taxpayers in resolving tax issues. Experience communicating with taxpayers & their representatives to determine the nature of assistance needed, obtaining information & determining its relevance to resolve tax issues/problems. Experience advising and assisting taxpayers in meeting federal tax obligations. Experience managing an inventory and meeting deadlines. OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: A Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a field of study in an accredited college or university in accounting, finance, taxation, business administration or other related fields. OR Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in accounting, finance, taxation, business administration. OR LL.B. or J.D., if related to an accounting, finance, taxation, business administration or other related fields. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-11 Level: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience applying accounting, examination, returns processing, collection & or Taxpayer Advocate Service techniques. Experience with general and geographic business practices sufficient to independently process the complete range of cases. Experience advocating for taxpayers with significant hardship (IRC 7811 and/or Internal Revenue manuals) including but not limited to an immediate threat of adverse IRS action, a delay of more than 30 days in resolving taxpayer account problems, the incurring by the taxpayer of significant costs (including fees for professional representation) if relief is not granted, irreparable injury to, or a long-term adverse impact on the taxpayer if relief is not granted, or suffering injury because of an action or inaction by the IRS. Experience resolving taxpayer issues through negotiating, influencing or persuading other Business Operating Divisions (BOD) (for example, through the issuance or resolution of an Operational Assistance Order (OAR)) on a full range of individual & business tax returns. Experience with tax administration problems potentially having a negative impact on a significant number of taxpayers, including identifying potential systemic issues & taking appropriate action. Experience composing written communications to taxpayers & their representatives in order to expedite resolution of tax account issues & to educate regarding tax obligations, responsibilities, rights & options, including adverse consequences of decisions. Experience applying tax law based on the Internal Revenue Code & Regulations, conferring with subject matter experts or Counsel in developing a strategy for advocating and resolving a taxpayer's issue. Experience preparing and executing case action plans to advocate for case resolution for taxpayers, representatives or Congressional offices. Experience managing an inventory of cases and timely completing required actions including but not limited to, case development, issue determination, conducting interviews with taxpayers & or their representatives, documenting case histories with appropriate narratives in support of case decisions, preparing referrals to other IRS functions, including Appeals and Counsel. OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: Ph.D. or equivalent degree or 3 full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in a related field of study at an accredited college or university. OR LL.M., if related. OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Options for qualifying based on a combination will be identified in the online questions. AND MEET TIME IN GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT: You must meet applicable TIG requirements to be considered eligible. To meet TIG for positions above the GS-05 grade level, you must have served at least one year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade (or equivalent) in the normal line of progression for the position you are applying to. Advancement to positions up to GS-05 is permitted if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade held within the preceding 52 weeks. AND TIME AFTER COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT: By the closing date (or if this is an open continuous announcement, by the cut-off date) specified in this job announcement, current civilian employees must have completed at least 90 days of federal civilian service since their latest non-temporary appointment from a competitive referral certificate, known as time after competitive appointment. For this requirement, a competitive appointment is one where you applied to and were appointed from an announcement open to "All US Citizens". For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.

Education

A copy of your transcripts or equivalent documentation is required for positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying based on education or a combination of education and experience. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. If the position has specific education requirements and you currently hold, or have previously held, a position in the same job series with the IRS, there is no need to submit a transcript or equivalent at this time. Applicants are encouraged, but are not required, to submit an SF-50 documenting experience in a specific series.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click here for Foreign Education Credentialing instructions.

Contacts

• Address TAS - Deputy National Taxpayer Advocate 1111 Constitution Ave NW Washington, DC 20224 US
• Name: (ERC) Employee Resource Center
• Phone: 866-743-5748