Tax Information Specialist 1 – Initial Contact Team

State of Washington•Thurston County – Tumwater, WA

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

At the Department of Revenue (DOR), we are dedicated to educating and assisting business owners to help bring their business into compliance with Washington State tax laws. We offer great on-the-job, real-life training so you will feel prepared as you begin this career path. We are looking for an instinctive individual to fill a Tax Information Specialist 1 position. Although this position has a flexible telework schedule, your official duty station will be Tumwater field office. Over the course of a month, employees will be expected to be in the office for scheduled, intentional in-person meetings, trainings, and/or other activities as operational needs dictate. Due to the nature of the work, these positions must have the appropriate internet connection to meet the requirement of making calls on the predictive dialer. Candidate screening will begin as early as August 5, 2026, and the hiring authority may exercise the option to make a hiring decision at any time after. It will be to the applicant's advantage to submit materials as soon as possible. The mission of the DOR is to efficiently administer tax laws and public service programs with integrity. The Compliance Division supports this mission by collecting taxes through education, investigation and enforcement on behalf of Washington citizens so that tax laws are applied fairly and state services are funded. Revenue is a dynamic learning organization where you will experience a remarkable work-life balance, with amazing leadership and talented co-workers ready and focused to achieve the agency's goals. We value diverse perspectives and life experiences. We employ and serve people of all backgrounds including people of color, immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and veterans. This unique culture of respect promotes a professional family of cohesive groups maximizing potential through opportunity.

Requirements

Proven ability to compose clear, concise, and grammatically correct written communication, developed through preparing customer correspondence, case notes, reports, or other professional written work.
Proven ability to communicate clearly and concisely over the telephone for extended periods, supported by experience assisting customers, clients, or the public in a high-volume call center environment.
Progressive experience providing authoritative information or guidance to customers, taxpayers, or the public, reflecting strong verbal communication skills and the ability to adjust tone, pace, and language for diverse audiences.
Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply complex state tax laws, rules, and policies, gained through experience researching statutory or regulatory requirements in a customer service, regulatory, tax administration, or similar environment.
Demonstrated skill in researching issues using multiple sources such as laws, rules, advisories, online databases, or internal systems to independently resolve complex customer questions or problems.
Proven ability to handle challenging or emotionally charged interactions with professionalism and empathy, supported by experience de-escalating conversations and clarifying issues with upset, confused, or uncooperative individuals.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse internal and external interested parties; such as business owners, attorneys, accountants, and other government staff, gained through professional experience requiring cooperative problem-solving and information exchange.
Progressive experience organizing and prioritizing work in a fast-paced environment, showing the ability to remain focused, manage interruptions, and respond to changing demands or assigned call queues.
Demonstrated proficiency using computer systems, databases, and online research tools to access, update, or document account information, obtained through prior administrative, customer service, or technical support work.
Demonstrated ability to adhere to confidentiality, ethics requirements, and fiscal accountability standards such as?accurate?data entry, error recognition, and compliance with internal controls, gained through work involving sensitive information or financial data.
Demonstrated ability to locate individuals or assets through skip-tracing techniques, online research, or investigative methods, supported by experience using internet databases, public records, or third-party resources.
The ability to take action to learn and grow.
The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
Uses an equitable and inclusive approach.
To be considered, you must have complied with Washington state tax laws.

Nice To Haves

Learn about our Core Equity Competencies to understand the foundational skills, mindsets, and approaches we value and cultivate in our workforce

Responsibilities

The ICT members are often the first contact for delinquent taxpayers and with the help of a predictive dialer, are charged with reaching out to encourage voluntary payment and tax law compliance.
When we're not able to elicit voluntary compliance, our ICT members must maintain the highest levels of professionalism in explaining possible consequences of continued noncompliance.
We rely on our ICT Team to be self-motivated, naturally curious, reliable negotiation experts who care for our taxpayers as well as the DOR mission and vision.
As critical and essential parts of these positions, the Tax Information Specialist must be adaptable, persistent and able to apply outstanding communication skills to overcome objections and suggest payment options in sometimes tense conversations.
Also, key to success in these positions is the ability to type accurate notes into the Department's tax information system while on the phone to aid in account resolution.
Many of our high-performing staff have found these positions to be a great entry-point to promotions within the agency.
In a short time on the job, you'll learn: DOR's computer system and applications.
DOR's website and how to locate and direct taxpayers to the information they need.
An introduction to tax rules and laws used to complete various tax forms.
Computer-based skip tracing tools to locate taxpayers.