Job opening: Case Advocate (Bilingual Spanish)
Salary: $37 696 - 98 580 per year
Published at: Dec 06 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
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Duties
WHAT IS THE TAS- TAXPAER ADVOCATE SERVICE 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 (TAS), DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CASE ADVOCACY (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.
MAJOR DUTIES
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.
The incumbent communicates orally and in writing with both English and Spanish speaking taxpayers and their representatives, corporate representatives, and other governmental officials.
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 Bachelors 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.
THE QUALIFICATIONS SECTION CONTINUES BELOW IN THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTION.
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