Tax Specialist (Tax Compliance Officer (TCO)

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below to view Eligibilities being considered and other IMPORTANT information. WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OTHER IRS CAREERS? Visit us on the web at www.jobs.irs.gov

Duties

WHAT IS THE SMALL BUSINESS SELF-EMPLOYED (SBSE)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:
SB/SE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER EXAM, SPECIALTY EXAMINATION, EMPLOYMENT TAX PROGRAM

The following are the duties of this position at the full working level.

• Plans and conducts independent limited examinations and related investigations of a variety of individual and business taxpayers, or exempt organization, employee plans or government entities involving complex tax issues and accounting records and typical methods. SB/SE Specialty Program activities include investigations of strategic or special emphasis programs such as claims, non-filers, worker classification, tip reporting and fringe benefits. Specialty Program TCOs specialize in the areas of Federal Income Tax Withholding (FITW), Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) and Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA).
• Advises taxpayers of his/her rights as defined in the examination and appeal guidelines, the actual examination procedures, and an explanation of current tax and reporting responsibilities and the importance and benefit of meeting future responsibilities.
• Conducts required filing checks to determine that other required returns are filed. Conducts concurrent examinations of these and other related returns when warranted.
• Identifies issues to be pursued based on large, unusual or questionable items that produce a significant tax or compliance effect and utilizes the tax law and facts needed to resolve them. Considers gross income during the examination of all income tax returns. Recognizes indicators of fraudulent activity and develops appropriate referrals.
• Determines and considers the collectibility of potential tax deficiencies at all stages of the examination. Solicits payment and/or offers installment agreements when appropriate. Prepares work papers and reports documenting findings and conclusions.

This position has career progression. If you are selected at a grade level lower than the full working level, you may be non-competitively promoted as your career progresses. For example, you may be hired as a GS-05, but if the position has career progression to GS-09, then you may move from a GS-05 to a GS-09 in as little as two years.

Salary

• $42,995 - $84,688/year

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National and provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. (Birth certificate showing birth in the U.S; Unexpired U.S. Passport; Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization; or Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen (Form FS-240))
• Undergo a review of prior performance/conduct and an income tax verification. Refer to "Get Your Tax Record" at http://www.irs.gov/(https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript) to check the status of your account, balance owed, payment history, make a payment, or review answers to tax questions. If you are not in compliance, you will be determined unsuitable for employment with IRS.
• This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. For more information regarding your rights refer to Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights - FBI, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI, and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov).
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency.
• Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. These documents must be unexpired original or certified copies.
• The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, FairChanceAct@treasury.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact.

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-timework 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.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To qualify for this position, you must meet the qualification requirements outlined below by the closing date of the announcement.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS ALL GRADES: GENERAL EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION FOR GS-05: You must have 3 years of general experience. General experience for this position includes:

• Experience 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: 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree
OR
Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) obtained through written examination in a State, territory, or the District of Columbia

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION FOR GS-07: You must have 1 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 that demonstrates substantive knowledge of business practices, basic accounting principles, and Federal tax laws and regulations; and that required the ability to audit tax records, analyze systems and bookkeeping, use factfinding techniques, and develop interpersonal skills.

OR
You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: 1 full year of graduate level education in a field of study such as: accounting, auditing, taxation, business administration, law, or other related fields.
OR
Superior Academic Achievement may be met by having a Bachelor's degree, with one of the following: A GPA of 2.95 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 3.45 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/EDUCATION FOR GS-09: 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 that demonstrated a substantive knowledge of business practices, basic accounting principles, and Federal tax laws and regulations; and that required the ability to audit tax records, analyze systems and bookkeeping, use factfinding techniques, and develop interpersonal skills.

Qualifying specialized experience may have been gained in work such as:

• Office auditing of various types of tax returns to determine tax liability of individual taxpayers, businesses, or corporations.
• Applying pertinent parts of the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations and procedures to: (1) conduct comprehensive analytical examinations, (2) use creative in-office factfinding techniques, and (3) develop effective public contact skills.
• Determination and redetermination, or audit, on liability for Federal taxes.
• Program evaluation, internal audit or administrative management of the assessment and collection of Federal taxes (other than alcohol and tobacco).
• Investigating alleged criminal violations of Federal tax statutes and making recommendations for criminal prosecution and assertion of civil penalties.
• Collecting delinquent Federal taxes (other than alcohol and tobacco), including canvassing for unreported taxes due, and securing delinquent returns.

OR
You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a field of study in an accredited college or university in accounting, auditing, taxation, business administration, law, or other related fields.
OR
2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in accounting, auditing, taxation, business administration, law, or other related fields.
OR
LL.B. or J.D., if related to accounting, auditing, taxation, business administration, law, or other related fields.

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: Applicants must provide evidence of accounting knowledge at a level that is equivalent to 6 semester hours of accounting for positions at the GS-9 level and below or 12 semester hours of accounting for positions above the GS-9 level.

For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards. Education For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. 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 (Section 3, Explanation of Terms) or here for Foreign Education Credentialing instructions. Other Information

• Subject to a 1-year probationary period (unless already completed). Note: Current Federal employees may be required to serve a new probationary period (5 CFR 315.802(b)).
• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Additional jobs may be filled.
• The salary range indicated in this announcement reflects the minimum locality pay up to maximum locality pay for all duty locations listed. The range will be adjusted for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.
• This is a bargaining unit position.
• Tour of Duty: Monday to Friday Day Shift - Start and stop times between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
• Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours or telework may be available.
• In the event that a building is closed due to rent management, new hires may be placed in a local commuting location.
• Telework Eligible Positions: Telework eligible positions do not guarantee telework. Employees must meet and sustain IRS telework eligibility requirements (e.g., reporting at least twice a pay period to your assigned Post of Duty (POD)) and supervisor's approval to participate in the IRS Telework Program. Employees must also be within a 200-mile radius of their official assigned post-of-duty (POD) while in a telework status. As a reminder - If you are selected for a position, you are responsible for reporting to your designated POD (location) on the negotiated start date or as directed by management.
• The employment of any candidate selected for this position, including a current employee or a new hire, selected for this position may be conditional upon classification and/or audit of federal tax returns. This audit may include up to 2 years of returns.
• Relocation expenses - No
• File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
• Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
• If this position is designated as hard to fill and you were referred by an IRS employee, the employee may be eligible to receive a bonus for referring you under The Employee Referral Bonus Program (ERBP), recruiting strategy.

For more information regarding Union Representation click
National Treasury Employees Union - NTEU

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.

1. Resume - Your resume MUST contain dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or present). To ensure you receive full credit for relevant experience, include the hours worked per week. We recommend that your resume not exceed 5 pages. If including Federal service experience, you MUST provide the pay plan, series, and grade, i.e., GS-0301-09. If the pay plan, series, and grade are not provided, it may result in an ineligible determination.
   Your resume must NOT include photographs, classified or government sensitive information, social security number (SSN), encrypted/digitally signed documents, or links to social media such as LinkedIn, or other inappropriate material or content. If your resume contains prohibited information as listed above, your application will be determined ineligible, and you will not receive consideration for this position. (Cover letters are optional.) Please view Resume Tips. It is also recommended that your resume not include personal information such as age, gender, religion, race, disability, etc.
2. Online Application - Questionnaire
3. Education - See Education Section above
4. Registration/License (if applicable) - active, current registration/license
5. Veterans' Preference (if applicable) - You MUST submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. If you are serving under active duty, provide certification from the Armed Forces that you will be discharged or released within 120 days from the date of certification. The certification must indicate your dates of service, rank and that you will be separated under honorable conditions.
   10-point preference eligible - Submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the form if you are a 10-point preference eligible. For more information on claiming veterans' preference view here.
6. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) (if applicable) - You MUST submit the required documentation as outlined at: Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP). If you are an IRS CTAP eligible, you can apply for jobs within and outside the commuting area. If you are a Treasury CTAP eligible can apply for jobs within the commuting area.
7. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) (if applicable) - If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click Interchange Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents.
8. High School Diploma (or equivalent) - If you are 16 or 17 years of age, you MUST submit documentation of graduation from high school (or equivalent); OR completion of a formal vocational training program; OR statement from school authorities agreeing with your decision to pursue employment rather than continuing your education.

NOTE:

• DO NOT copy the specialized experience statement or position description into your resume for experience as this is not a demonstration of your experience and could result in an ineligible determination.

• If you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, your application will be determined incomplete, and you will not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

How to Apply

The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 12/03/2024 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon ET on 12/03/2024.

To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12620852

• To begin the application process, click the "Apply Online" button.
• You will be re-directed to USA STAFFING to complete your application process; answer the online questions and submit all required documents. (To submit supporting documents, import documents from USAJOBS to the appropriate document types. If the document you need was not imported from USAJOBS, you may upload it directly into this application. To protect your privacy, we suggest you first remove your SSN).
• To complete, you must click the "Submit Application" button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on 12/03/2024.

To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (Welcome | Login.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: Welcome | Login.gov . All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Are you unsure how to write your federal resume? We are here to help. The Treasury Recruitment Service regularly offers Writing Your Federal Resume training sessions, and other career-related information sessions, to assist you in your career search journey. To register for a session, click here to go to our Career Information Sessions webpage.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits