Clarification from the agency

Open to U.S. Citizens/Nationals

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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 (TAS), Deputy Executive Director Case Advocacy (DEDCA)

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

• In a developmental capacity, 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.

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-11, then you may move from a GS-05 to a GS-11 in as little as three years.

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.

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.

For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application includes your resume, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination. Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

Rating: You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Case Advocacy Techniques
• Conflict Management
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Interpersonal Skills
• Oral Communication
• Problem Solving
• Self-Management

Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of two quality level categories, CAT A/B depending on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, and training related to this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. Candidates, if required to participate in a selection interview (telephonic and/or in person at the discretion of the Selecting Official in accordance with hiring practices), will be interviewed in quality group order. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.

Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Qualified preference eligibles who have a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more (CPS, CP) are placed at the top of the highest category on the referral list (except for scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher). Remaining preference eligibles are placed above non-preference eligibles within their assigned category.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must receive a rating of category CAT A/B to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.