- Position Title
- Case Advocate (Bilingual-Spanish) 12-Month Roster
- Agency
- Internal Revenue Service
- Announcement Number
- 23-11771978C-TAB-501-5-11 Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Wednesday, January 11, 2023 to Wednesday, October 11, 2023
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
IRS CTAP Candidate - Are you a current displaced or surplus IRS employee and:
If you indicate "Yes" for this question, you MUST submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of CTAP eligibility such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES) AND a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal AND a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).
For more information, review Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP).
- you are located either within or outside the local commuting area of this vacancy, AND
- your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of this vacancy, AND
- your position has the same or higher promotion potential of this vacancy, AND
- your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent?
If you indicate "Yes" for this question, you MUST submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of CTAP eligibility such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES) AND a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal AND a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).
For more information, review Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP).
2.
Treasury CTAP Candidate - Are you a current displaced or surplus Department of Treasury (non-IRS) employee and:
If you indicate "Yes" for this question, you MUST submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of CTAP eligibility such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES) AND a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal AND a copy of your latest SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).
For more information, review Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP).
- you are located within the same local commuting area of this vacancy, AND
- your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of this vacancy, AND
- your position has the same or higher promotion potential of this vacancy, AND
- your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent?
If you indicate "Yes" for this question, you MUST submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of CTAP eligibility such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES) AND a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal AND a copy of your latest SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).
For more information, review Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP).
3.
IRS Internal Candidate - Are you a current career or career-conditional, Competitive Service Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employee? You can view a copy of your most recent SF-50 to determine if you are Competitive Service. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should be a "1" or "2".)
If you indicate "Yes" for this question, submit a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal.
If you indicate "Yes" for this question, submit a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal.
4.
IRS RPP Candidate - Are you a current IRS employee who has received a Reassignment Preference Program (RPP) notice and:
If you indicate "Yes" for this question, you MUST submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of RPP eligibility such as a RPP notice AND a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal AND a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).
For more information, review IRS Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 6.330.1.
- you are located either within or outside the local commuting area of this vacancy, AND
- your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of this vacancy, AND
- your position has the same or higher promotion potential and the same work schedule (e.g., permanent, seasonal, etc.) of this vacancy, AND
- your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent?
If you indicate "Yes" for this question, you MUST submit supporting documentation to validate your claim of RPP eligibility such as a RPP notice AND a copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal AND a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).
For more information, review IRS Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 6.330.1.
Preferences
1.
Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location.
2.
Select the lowest grade you are willing to accept for this position.
3.
In the preference question above that states "Select the locations you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location." you selected the location(s) you prefer to be considered for.
Below, please prioritize the locations you selected above by selecting the 1st location you would like to be considered for. If you selected more than one location, use the following questions to prioritize each location (up to 6 locations).
Below, please prioritize the locations you selected above by selecting the 1st location you would like to be considered for. If you selected more than one location, use the following questions to prioritize each location (up to 6 locations).
- The following list includes ALL IRS locations but not all locations are available for this announcement.
- Only locations listed on the announcement and in the above question are available.
- Do NOT select locations you did not choose in the question above.
- Applicants will NOT be considered for locations that are not included on the announcement and in the question above.
4.
In the preference question above that states "Select the locations you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location." you selected the location(s) you prefer to be considered for.
Below, please prioritize the locations you selected above by selecting the 2nd location you would like to be considered for. If you selected more than one location, use the following questions to prioritize each location (up to 6 locations).
Below, please prioritize the locations you selected above by selecting the 2nd location you would like to be considered for. If you selected more than one location, use the following questions to prioritize each location (up to 6 locations).
- The following list includes ALL IRS locations but not all locations are available for this announcement.
- Only locations listed on the announcement and in the above question are available.
- Do NOT select locations you did not choose in the question above.
- If you do NOT have a 2nd priority, select "No additional priority location".
- Applicants will NOT be considered for locations that are not included on the announcement and in the question above.
5.
How many performance related awards, (including time off in lieu of monetary), or quality step increases have you received in the three years preceding the closing date of this announcement?
You may obtain a list of your most recent awards at https://persinfo.web.irs.gov/indexawd.htm.
You may obtain a list of your most recent awards at https://persinfo.web.irs.gov/indexawd.htm.
6.
Please list the names of any performance related awards and/or quality step increases you have received in the three years preceding the closing date of this announcement and the dates (MMDDYYYY) of the awards. (For example: Performance Award, 02/02/2019).
You may obtain a list of your most recent awards at https://persinfo.web.irs.gov/indexawd.htm.
You may obtain a list of your most recent awards at https://persinfo.web.irs.gov/indexawd.htm.
7.
What is your Standard Employee Identifier (SEID)?
8.
If you are, or ever were a Federal civilian employee, please provide your current or last pay plan, series, and grade level or pay band. For example: GS-0303-05, IR-0343-02, WG-5400-04.
(limit 250 characters)
9.
What is your current position title?
10.
Your annual performance appraisal and relevant awards are considered in the selection process.
Please indicate the option that best describes your most recent performance appraisal.
Please indicate the option that best describes your most recent performance appraisal.
11.
Please enter the date of your most recent performance appraisal.
12.
Please select the response that most accurately reflects your most recent performance appraisal or performance rating.
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in applying for this position. Your responses to the following questions supplement the information provided in your resume.
1.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE / EDUCATION: GS-05
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.
Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
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.
Which of the following is true about your specialized experience?
2.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE / EDUCATION: GS-07
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.
Which of the following is true about your education and/or experience?
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.
Which of the following is true about your education and/or experience?
3.
GS-7 TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Under merit promotion procedures, Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. Time is credited based on calendar time served in a grade, regardless of the number of days or hours worked. If you currently hold or have previously held a position at the same (or equivalent) or higher grade/level in the Federal government as of this announcement, you will meet the TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENTS.
Please select the response that best describes your time in grade.
Please select the response that best describes your time in grade.
4.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE / EDUCATION: 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 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.
Which of the following is true about your education and/or experience?
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.
Which of the following is true about your education and/or experience?
5.
GS-9 TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Under merit promotion procedures, Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. Time is credited based on calendar time served in a grade, regardless of the number of days or hours worked. If you currently hold or have previously held a position at the same (or equivalent) or higher grade/level in the Federal government as of this announcement, you will meet the TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENTS.
Please select the response that best describes your time in grade.
Please select the response that best describes your time in grade.
6.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE / EDUCATION: GS-11
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.
Which of the following is true about your education and/or experience?
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.
Which of the following is true about your education and/or experience?
7.
GS-11 TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Under merit promotion procedures, Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. Time is credited based on calendar time served in a grade, regardless of the number of days or hours worked. If you currently hold or have previously held a position at the same (or equivalent) or higher grade/level in the Federal government as of this announcement, you will meet the TIME IN GRADE REQUIREMENTS.
Please select the response that best describes your time in grade.
Please select the response that best describes your time in grade.
For each task in the following group, choose the statement(s) from the list below that best describes your experience and/or training.
8.
Which of the following describe your contribution to the workplace?
9.
Choose the description below that best describes your work experience.
10.
Which of the following documents do you have experience writing?
11.
Which of the following experiences have you had that demonstrate your oral communication skills?
12.
Have you identified a systemic problem and made a recommendation to management/HQ to resolve it?
13.
Which of the following best describes your experience related to managing your workload?
14.
Which of the following best describes your experience advocating on behalf of a person or an issue?
15.
Which of the following items apply to your technical expertise and interpretation of tax laws and procedures?
As a Case Advocate, no two days at work will be the same. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS. The Case Advocate is the first line of contact for taxpayers who may be facing hardships, have encountered language and cultural barriers, or have simply tried everything they know to resolve their tax problems. The Case Advocate job includes analyzing financial information, such as tax returns and financial statements, and researching tax law.
You will work with a variety of taxpayers, from those who have limited understanding of the tax code to professionals such as attorneys and accountants. This involves frequent communication with taxpayers as well as working directly with other IRS employees to resolve taxpayer problems. Case advocates assist and educate taxpayers to comply with tax law. This requires strong interpersonal and communication skills.
You will be responsible for a large inventory of cases with new cases being assigned daily. Each case represents either an individual or a business taxpayer. There are very strict time frames with changing priorities. You work independently to set your own schedule. You must be organized and flexible with good time management skills. You will also be required to identify trends or burdens impacting taxpayers and make recommendations for improvement.
The next set of questions draw primarily on your experiences in working with and relating to others in a work setting. In each of the questions in this section, you are asked to indicate how you would be most likely to respond in a given situation. No special training or experience is required to answer these questions. Identify from the response options the one that best represents how you would handle the situation. Select the response that is closest to how you would be most likely to actually handle the situation, not the response that you think others might select or the response that you think is expected.
16.
Mr. Mango discovered a discrepancy between his copy of his tax return and the return filed with the IRS by his accountant. The return filed by the accountant reflected a larger refund amount and was direct deposited in the accountant's bank account. Mr. Mango is asking for the larger refund amount. You ask Mr. Mango questions about the income, expenses, and credits shown on his tax return and suspect that something is wrong. What would you do in this situation?
17.
A taxpayer asks for your assistance to get back on a payment plan. She explains that she was on a payment plan, but missed a few payments. As a result, the IRS collection department is about to garnish her paycheck. What would you do in this situation?
18.
Oak's Nursing Home was a major employer in a small town. The owner, Mr. Oak, could not cover expenses and is planning to close the business. Because he could not make tax payments on a timely basis, the IRS collection department garnished the business bank account. This occurred on the day of the final payroll. Mr. Oak contacted the Taxpayer Advocate Service for help to ensure his employees received their final paycheck that day. You had many actions already scheduled for the day when this case was assigned to you. Your other customers have been waiting for actions on their cases before you received Mr. Oak's request. What would you do in this situation?
19.
Mr. Howard was expecting a refund, but he received a notice that all of his refund was applied to his wife's debt. Mrs. Howard owes a tax debt incurred prior to their marriage. Mr. Howard is entitled to his full refund because he earned all the income for the year. He submitted a claim to the IRS to receive his refund. Now he is seeking your assistance because he never received a response to his claim. What would you do in this situation?
20.
The IRS garnished Ms. Orange's wages for overdue taxes. She contacted Taxpayer Advocate Service requesting that you stop the wage garnishment because she cannot afford to pay her necessary living expenses as she lives in a high cost area. Ms. Orange states that the IRS collection department has not considered this. You secure a current financial statement from Ms. Orange with supporting documentation. While talking to Ms. Orange, you learn that she has a part-time job that she did not include on her financial statement. Also, the mortgage interest she listed was owed to her parent, but Ms. Orange stated she had not actually paid it. What would you do in this situation?
21.
Mr. and Mrs. Green come into your office and are upset because the IRS applied their refund to Mr. Green's past due student loan. Mrs. Green's income is the family's sole income and she wants the refund. Mrs. Green wants you to get her money back. An IRS customer service representative told her that because they filed a joint return the refund belongs to both Mr. and Mrs. Green, so she would not get a refund. However, Mrs. Green is entitled to her refund. What would you do in this situation?
22.
A taxpayer comes to your office because she recently received an IRS bill for taxes due on a court settlement she received. She believes the settlement is not taxable and highlights a page in an IRS publication showing you the settlement is not taxable. The taxpayer asks you to adjust her account to show that she does not owe the IRS money. What would you do in this situation?
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
23.
To qualify for this position and receive full credit for your relevant experience you must list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. Your resume must support your responses to the questions. Do you understand that failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination?
24.
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information included in this questionnaire is true, correct, and provided in good faith. I understand if I make an intentional false statement, or commit deception or fraud in this application and its supporting materials, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001); my eligibilities may be cancelled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 C.F.R. part 731). I understand any information I give may be investigated. I understand that responding "No" to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.
Failure to agree or respond to the statement below will disqualify you from further consideration for the position. Select the most appropriate response below.
Failure to agree or respond to the statement below will disqualify you from further consideration for the position. Select the most appropriate response below.