Customer Service Specialist I Spanish Speaking (REVENUE TAX SPECIALIST I, OPT SS)

Position Overview

The Taxpayer Assistance Division of the Illinois Department of Revenue is seeking a highly motivated individual with bilingual skills in Spanish and English to respond to Illinois individual and business taxpayers’ inquiries at our district office in Des Plaines.  As a member of this team, you will serve the Division while working with the department staff, taxpayers, businesses and local governments on the telephone, in person, and through email, and utilize interpersonal and customer service skills to answer taxpayer inquiries on Individual Income Tax; Withholding Income Tax; Sales and Use Tax; and Business Income Tax.  A hybrid remote work schedule may become an option when operational needs are met.  A semi-automatic promotion beyond this title is also on the horizon! Come join our team and reap the rewards of receiving the gratitude of the taxpayers you serve.

The benefits of working at Department of Revenue include a 37 ½ hour work week, a generous salary and benefits package (paid time off for vacation, sick, or personal leave, thirteen holidays) pension and other retirement benefits, tuition reimbursement, and insurance eligibility on day one (medical, dental, vision, and life).

Essential Functions

• Under general supervision, reviews, analyzes and adjusts routine and highly technical original and amended tax returns, schedules, and supporting documentation.
• Reviews and performs research on various source documents in providing information, guidance and assistance to Illinois and out-of-state taxpayers and/or their representatives, in writing and orally in English and Spanish of a routine and priority nature, relating to the various taxes administered by IDOR in addition to interpretation of the Illinois Business Registration, and Electronic Filing Application rules and regulations.
• Performs research necessary to resolve discrepancies or deficiencies.
• Confers with and initiates correspondence to taxpayers and/or their representatives in English and Spanish on status of accounts and to determine the nature of inquiries, problems or complaints.
• Assigned throughout the Customer Service Bureau to assist in higher level tax related duties as required.
• Approves or denies progressively difficult reasonable cause requests based on procedural and statutory guidelines.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires successful completion of the Revenue Tax Specialist Trainee program, which entails 12 months of agency training, and either: knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to the completion of four years of college; OR four years of work experience providing tax related support functions within a program area at the Illinois Department of Revenue.
• Requires the ability to speak and write Spanish at a colloquial skill level in carrying out position duties in conjunction with non-English speaking individuals.

Conditions of Employment

1. Requires the ability to successfully complete a tax compliance and fingerprint-based background check.
2. Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate. Requires appropriate, valid driver’s license.
3. Requires the ability to walk, stand, bend, and reach above shoulder level.
4. This position is considered medium work as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor (20 CFR 404.1567(c)). Medium work involves lifting no more than 50 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
5. Requires the ability to use and secure a state issued mobile device, e.g., cellular phone, laptop computer, tablet, etc.
6. The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

Agency Statement

The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) administers Illinois tax laws and collects taxes in a fair, consistent, and efficient manner to provide accurate, timely, and reliable funding and information to state and local constituents. By using best practices, IDOR strives to continuously innovate and increase accuracy, efficiency, and productivity in all areas of operations and tax administration, thereby earning respect, delivering value, and being a trusted source of information.

IDOR is a professional-minded governmental entity that values its employees and invests in their success through training and engagement. IDOR values diversity, both culturally and professionally, and believes it can foster a more productive work environment best suited for serving the citizens and taxpayers of Illinois.