Tax Specialist (Tax Compliance Officer (Tco) 12 Month Roster

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:

SBSE EXAM - Examination Operations

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.

• 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 collectability 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.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

STANDARD POSITION DESCRIPTIONS (SPD):

PD93192, PD21120, and PD21119

Visit the IRS SPD Library to access the position descriptions.

• 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.

• A 1-year probationary period is required (unless already completed).

• 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.

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:

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.

AND

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.

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.

Additional information

• 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

• Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

• Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours or telework may be available.

• Relocation expenses - no

• Pay retention may be offered based on applicable laws and regulations.

• If this position is covered by a formal development plan, pay retention will be offered where applicable based on law and regulation.

Please consider each location carefully when applying. If you are selected for a position at one of your location selections, that location will become your official post of duty.

If the position(s) are no longer needed prior to the closing date, this announcement may be closed early.

This is an open continuous announcement which will be used to fill vacancies in the locations listed as they become available for the next 12 months contingent upon funding and space requirements. Applicants must apply and/or update their applications by 11:59 pm ET at the close of the following cutoff dates to be considered:

Cutoff date(s): 3/21/2024. This announcement may be amended to include additional cut-off dates within the 12 month period if needed, not later than 10 days prior to the additional cut-off date(s). Eligible applicants who apply by the initial cut-off date, will be referred in score order. If additional vacancies exist, remaining applicants will be considered in score order as needed. Selections from this announcement may be made no later than (NLT) 3/21/2025.

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