Taxpayer Services

State of Iowa; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

IPERS

Retirement Investors Club (RIC)

Health, Dental and Vision Insurance

Vacation Leave

Sick Leave

Paid Holidays (9 days/year)

Flexible Spending Accounts

Life Insurance

Long-Term Disability Insurance

Job summary

The Iowa Department of Revenue's Alcohol & Tax Operations Division is seeking a Revenue Service Specialist 3 to join the Taxpayer Services team in Des Moines. This role focuses on assisting taxpayers with complex tax questions across multiple tax types and directing them to resources, delivered via phone, in person, or through other channels.

The position requires on-site work at the Hoover Building with opportunities to mentor staff, participate in projects drafting tax forms and publications,

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field, and experience equal to three years of full-time work in tax, accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, insurance, analysis of financial or business forms and data, or answering technical or tax-related questions.
• Three years of full-time work experience in tax, accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, insurance, analysis of financial or business forms and data, with thirty semester hours of college coursework equaling one year of experience.
• Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes three years of full-time work as a Taxpayer Service Specialist 1; two years of full-time work as a Revenue Service Specialist 2, Revenue Examiner 2, or Revenue Agent 2; or one year of full-time work as a Revenue Examiner 3 or Revenue Auditor 2.

Responsibilities

• Assist taxpayers by providing general to complex tax assistance covering multiple tax types (individual, corporate, excise, inheritance, fiduciary, sales/use, franchise, partnership, rent reimbursement and withholding).
• Resolve escalated and complex Taxpayer Service contacts and apply informed judgment for the taxpayer.
• Mentor and assist in training and development of employees.
• Assist the supervisor by instructing employees, distributing and balancing workload, and checking work.
• Work on special or ongoing projects such as drafting and reviewing tax forms, instructions, and Department publications.
• This position requires 100% in-office work at the Hoover building.

Skills

Customer service

Active listening

Critical thinking

Deductive reasoning

Economics & accounting

Education

Accounting/Finance/Business degree

Job description

The Iowa Department of Revenue’s Alcohol & Tax Operations Division is currently seeking a Revenue Service Specialist 3 to join the Taxpayer Services team. The Operations Division functions as the central hub for both alcohol and tax-related processes and procedures. This division is responsible for administering the transportation and distribution of wholesale alcoholic liquor to more than 2,000 privately-owned retailers across Iowa, ensuring they are delivered on time and in good condition. Additionally, this division manages tax documents, payments and mail, as well as offering invaluable assistance to taxpayers for filing requirements and procedures.

In this position you will be responsible for:

• Assisting taxpayers in meeting their Iowa tax obligation by providing general to complex tax assistance covering multiple tax types (individual, corporate, excise, inheritance, fiduciary, sales/use, franchise, partnership, rent reimbursement and withholding), as well as directing customers to online and other resources. This assistance may be over the phone, in-person, and/or across all communication channels.
• Resolving escalated and complex Taxpayer Service contacts and correspondence and applying informed judgment in arriving at an appropriate conclusion for the taxpayer
• Mentoring and assisting in the training and development of employees
• Being able to assist the supervisor by instructing employees, answering questions, distributing and balancing the workload, and checking work
• Works as a member/leader of special or ongoing projects, such as drafting and/or reviewing tax forms, instructions, and Department publications.
• This position will require 100% in-office work at the Hoover building.

Preference will be given to candidates with experience in the following:

• Experience in a call center environment providing general to complex tax assistance covering multiple tax types
• Demonstrated experience preparing, reviewing, examining or assisting with complex questions regarding tax returns
• Experience mentoring or training relating to tax procedures and/or technical information
• Experience as a member/leader of special or ongoing projects impacting organization or process improvement
• Customer service experience

Job Specific Competencies

• Customer and Personal Service - Principles and processes for providing customer and personal service. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluating customer satisfaction.
• Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Deductive Reasoning – Applying general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Economics and Accounting – Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Employer Highlights

The Iowa Department of Revenue is a well-respected employer. We are focused on providing excellent customer service, while offering a wonderful team atmosphere, work-life balance, free parking, and casual attire. We have a great total compensation package for all of our full-time employees, including:

• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS)
• Retirement Investors Club (RIC)
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Vacation Leave
• Sick Leave
• Paid Holidays (9 days/year)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance

The mission of the Iowa Department of Revenue is to serve Iowans through the responsible collection and generation of revenue to support the public good. If you’re looking for a career with an organization that values its employees and customers, you’ve come to the right place.

Applicants must live within the State of Iowa to qualify for this position.

The successful candidate will be required to work on-site in the Hoover Building in Des Moines, with remote opportunities as it meets business needs.

A background check, including a criminal history check, fingerprint and Iowa tax filing check, will be conducted on the final candidate.

Effective July 1st, 2025, all Department of Revenue staff and their household will not be able to play any Iowa Lottery games.

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal

Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1) Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field, and experience equal to three years of full-time work in tax, accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, insurance, analysis of financial or business forms and data, or answering technical or tax-related questions.

2) All of the following (a and b): a. Three years of full-time work experience in tax, accounting, bookkeeping, auditing, insurance, analysis of financial or business forms and data, or answering technical or tax-related questions; and b. A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field equals one year of full-time experience.

3) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes three years of full-time work as a Taxpayer Service Specialist 1; two years of full-time work as a Revenue Service Specialist 2, Revenue Examiner 2, or Revenue Agent 2; or one year of full-time work as a Revenue Examiner 3 or Revenue Auditor 2.

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