Tobacco Tax Compliance and Returns Specialist 3
Address: 1600 W. Monroe St
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Salary: $55,000/ yr ( $26.44/hr)
Grade: 21
Closing Date: Until Filled
The Tobacco Tax Compliance and Returns Specialist 3 performs complex audit and customer service work for the Tobacco Tax Team by providing educational outreach to applicable taxpayers to ensure compliance with Arizona’s tobacco tax laws, statutes, rules, and regulations. This role is responsible for the review of tobacco tax returns and the processing of refunds and rebates, working with taxpayers to address payment issues, and providing timely notifications to taxpayers regarding noncompliance, penalties, and license enforcement actions.
Supervision:
This position does not have direct reports.
This position may offer the ability to work remotely, within Arizona, based upon the department's business needs and continual meeting of expected performance measures.
The State of Arizona strives for a work culture that affords employees flexibility, autonomy, and trust. Across our many agencies, boards, and commissions, many State employees participate in the State’s Remote Work Program and are able to work remotely in their homes, in offices, and in hoteling spaces. All work, including remote work, should be performed within Arizona unless an exception is properly authorized in advance.
Tax Administration, Research, and Analysis
- Timely review of tobacco tax returns to ensuring accuracy and compliance with Arizona tobacco tax laws, statutes, rules, and regulations
- Process tax refunds and rebates and address payment issues while applying statutory requirements and Department of Revenue policies and standards.
- Prepare reports, correspondence, memoranda, and miscellaneous technical materials.
- Propose system functionality updates to management.
- Aid in the development and enforcement of tax compliance procedures and policies.
- Assist in the production of relevant documents to the Attorney General’s Office for use in enforcing Arizona tobacco laws and obligations under the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.
- Research, analyze, and apply applicable tax law appropriately to all cases, audits, and tax returns, as assigned.
- Collect and analyze data to detect discrepancies in return filings that may be non-compliant with tobacco tax laws, rules, regulations, and/or policies.
- Consult with appropriate legal counsel, as needed.
Customer Service
- Proactive outreach via phone, email, etc. to educate taxpayers on tobacco tax law compliance.
- Provide timely and clear notification to taxpayers regarding noncompliance, penalties, and license enforcement actions.
- Assist taxpayers with the utilization of the Arizona Luxury Tax Online electronic filing system.
- Communicate with taxpayers, attorneys, auditors, and management regarding compliance and application of applicable statutes, rules, and regulations.
Agency Representation
- Participate in formal and informal conferences and appeal hearings before the Office of Administrative Hearings.
Agency/Department Compliance & Continuous Improvement
- Remains current on all laws, regulations, policies, and best practices related to taxation through regular engagement in activities such as: self-directed research, conferring with other practitioners and technical experts; subscriptions to regulatory/legal/industry newsletters and briefs; membership industry associations and attendance at meetings/events; and or participation in training and others continuing education opportunities.
- Actively contributes to team and individual effectiveness through the following: -
- Attends staff meetings and huddles of work unit or district; and may cascade and track information as indicated.
- Completes all required training in a timely manner.
- Participates in assigned work teams as appropriate.
- May complete periodic metrics, projects, huddle boards and reports as requested.
- Prepares for and actively participates in 1:1 coaching with supervisor.
- Maximizes work processes and deliverables through lean principles within the Arizona Management System (AMS); and provides recommendations for process improvement, and engages in continuous improvement efforts as assigned.
Other duties as assigned
| Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs): |
Education & Experience
- Any combination that meets the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA); typical ways KSAs are obtained may include but are not limited to: a relevant degree from an accredited college or university such as Bachelor’s Degree (e.g., B.A.), training, coursework, and work experience relevant to the assignment.
- Minimum one year experience with the Department’s GenTax Tobacco Tax registration and reporting system.
Licenses & Certifications
None
Knowledge/Understanding
- Knowledge of Arizona Tobacco tax laws, statutes, rules, regulations, and department policies.
- Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
- Knowledge of generally accepted accounting standards (GAAS).
Skills
- Strong verbal, written, and listening communication skills.
- Effective organization and time management skills with the ability to make measurable progress on multiple priorities.
- Strong interpersonal skills and demeanor.
- Strong proficiency in researching, analyzing, and interpreting tax law and communicating it in layman's terms.
- Proficient in the use of a PC/laptop in a Windows environment; in the use of the Internet; and in the use of Google Suite applications such as Gmail, Sheets, Docs, and Drive.
- Proficient in the use of tax reporting systems.
Abilities
- Ability to clear a comprehensive background and clearance process that includes an Arizona tax compliance verification, and a criminal background check through the FBI via level one fingerprint clearance through the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
- Ability to work in a confidential manner, ensuring information is shared with internal and external individuals in an appropriate manner.
- Ability to understand and solve problems by applying strong analytical skills to include collecting all the relevant information and data needed to address the problem; organizing, classifying and synthesizing the data into fundamental issues; from the information, identifying the most probable causes of the problem; reducing the information down into manageable components; identifying the logical outcomes from the analyses of the data collected; and, identifying the options and solutions for addressing the problems analyzed.
- Ability to travel up to 5% of the time for court appearances/testimonies.
- Willingness and ability to embody ADOR’s core values of Do the Right Thing, Commit to Excellence, and Care About One Another.
Additional Job Demands
- In the course of performing the essential duties one must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
- Ability to operate a state-owned and/or personal vehicle.
- May experience exposure to adverse environmental conditions during travel.
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting or closely related field.
- Experience with Continuous Improvement/or LEAN.
- Bilingual in English/Spanish.
| Pre-Employment Requirements: |
The final candidate will be required to abide by the the following pre-employment checks:
-Employment Verification and Reference Checks
-State and Federal Criminal Background Check, including fingerprinting
-Arizona Tax Filing Records Check
-If applicable, ASEDRA Authorized Driver Identification Check
If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.
All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).
The State of Arizona provides a world class comprehensive benefits package including:
-Paid time off for holidays, sick days, annual leave, military leave, bereavement leave, and civic duty leave
-Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program).
-A robust and affordable insurance plan that includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term, and long-term disability options.
-Higher education discounts for State employees and tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 per fiscal year, available to seek further career advancement or certification in Continuing Professional Education.
-Work-life balance and additional options for life betterment such as the Infant at Work Program, State Wellness Program, Public Transit Discounts, Alternate Work Schedules, and Telework opportunities.
By providing the option of a full-time or part-time remote work schedule, employees enjoy improved work/life balance, report higher job satisfaction, and are more productive. Remote work is a management option and not an employee entitlement or right. An agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.
Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page
Top ranked Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) provides 100% employer matched contributions (enrollment eligibility will be effective after 27 weeks of State employment). ASRS provides a lifelong benefit based on years of service earned, or worked, and your ending salary. Learn more about ASRS at: https://www.azasrs.gov/content/new-and-prospective-members.
If you have any questions, need assistance, or would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the ADOR Talent Team at talentgroup@azdor.gov.
*The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.