Tax Field Auditor

Job Description - Tax Field Auditor (26142835) Tax Field Auditors help protect Montana’s workforce and support businesses by ensuring unemployment insurance tax information is reported accurately and consistently. In this role, you will conduct compliance reviews, examine payroll and financial records, and provide employers with practical guidance on unemployment insurance requirements. You will work directly with employers, accounting firms, payroll providers, and other business representatives to support fair treatment, accurate reporting, and a strong unemployment insurance system for Montanans.

MISSION STATEMENT:

Empowering all Montanans through work and opportunity. It's about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Tax Field Auditor is a staff-level compliance, audit, and employer education position within the Unemployment Insurance Division. This position reviews employer unemployment insurance tax reporting, examines financial and legal records, and researches employment relationships to determine whether wages have been reported correctly. You will prepare detailed audit reports, follow up on delinquent quarterly payroll reports and associated taxes, and explain applicable reporting requirements to employers and their representatives. The work requires independent judgment, attention to detail, strong communication skills, and the ability to apply accounting, payroll, auditing, and regulatory principles to a variety of situations.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU:

Serve Montana employers and workers: Help maintain a fair unemployment insurance system that supports workers, responsible businesses, and Montana communities. Use your financial expertise: Apply your experience in accounting, payroll, financial record review, tax reporting, or auditing to meaningful compliance work. Build specialized knowledge: Develop expertise in unemployment insurance tax reporting, payroll reporting practices, business records, audit methods, and state and federal requirements. Work directly with businesses: Communicate with employers, accountants, payroll providers, and third-party administrators to help them understand requirements and resolve reporting issues. Manage a varied workload: Perform audits, research complex information, review documents, write reports, respond to questions, collect delinquent reports and taxes, and provide compliance education.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Conduct employer tax audits: Complete unemployment insurance tax audits in accordance with U.S. Department of Labor quality standards and established audit measures. Examine financial and payroll records: Review payroll records, financial statements, tax returns, accounting records, and other legal or business documents to verify that wages are reported correctly. Analyze employment relationships: Research business and employment relationships to identify potentially misclassified wages, unreported wages, or other reporting concerns. Prepare audit reports: Document audit work, prepare clear and complete reports, identify findings, support conclusions with relevant records, and communicate required corrections or follow-up actions. Collect outstanding reports and taxes: Contact employers to obtain delinquent quarterly payroll reports and associated unemployment insurance taxes and support timely resolution of outstanding obligations. Provide employer education: Explain unemployment insurance tax laws, administrative rules, reporting requirements, and electronic filing tools to employers, accountants, payroll providers, and third-party administrators. Build professional relationships: Serve as a local contact for UI Contributions and other department services by developing constructive working relationships with employers and business representatives. Conduct remote and onsite work: Complete most audits remotely and travel, when necessary, to employer worksites, accountant offices, or payroll provider locations to conduct onsite audit activities. Most unemployment insurance tax audits are completed remotely; however, this position may require occasional travel to employer worksites, accounting offices, or other business locations to conduct onsite audits.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

Candidates must demonstrate the ability to: Apply accounting and auditing principles: Review payroll, accounting, tax, financial, and business records; apply accounting and audit methods; and identify discrepancies or information requiring further research. Interpret laws and requirements: Interpret and apply state and federal laws, administrative rules, policies, payroll reporting requirements, and business practices to complex compliance situations. Knowledge of unemployment insurance tax law and rules is preferred but not required. Analyze information and reach conclusions: Evaluate detailed, incomplete, or conflicting information; identify relevant facts; assess risk; and make accurate, well-supported determinations. Communicate clearly and build trust: Explain technical requirements in clear, practical language through written correspondence, telephone conversations, virtual meetings, and in-person discussions. Use active listening and respectful communication to build productive relationships in challenging circumstances. Exercise sound judgment: Remain professional and objective in potentially adverse situations, gather information through effective interviewing techniques, and make informed decisions under pressure. Manage work independently: Organize and prioritize multiple audits, employer contacts, documents, deadlines, and follow-up activities while maintaining accurate and timely work. Use software and systems: Use Microsoft Word and Excel at an intermediate level and learn or effectively navigate electronic reporting tools, document management systems, audit databases, and other department technology. Experience with mainstream accounting software is highly advantageous. Deliver customer-focused compliance service: Provide accurate, respectful, and responsive assistance that helps employers understand their obligations while applying requirements fairly and consistently. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Education and Experience) Experience applying advanced accounting and/or payroll reporting principles. Qualifying experience may include accounting, payroll, financial auditing, tax reporting, compliance review, financial analysis, or closely related work. Experience reviewing, analyzing, reconciling, and auditing payroll records, tax returns, accounting records, financial statements, business records, or other detailed financial documentation to determine accuracy, completeness, and compliance. Ability to interpret and apply state or federal laws, administrative rules, policies, reporting requirements, or technical standards to employer reporting and compliance situations. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical requirements clearly and professionally to employers, accountants, payroll providers, business representatives, and other stakeholders. Proficiency using Microsoft Word and Excel to prepare correspondence, reports, analyses, audit documentation, and work records. Experience with accounting software, payroll systems, databases, or electronic reporting tools is preferred. A valid driver’s license is required because this position may require travel to employer worksites, accounting offices, or payroll provider locations to complete onsite audits. A degree in accounting, business, or a related field, or coursework that includes advanced-level accounting, may supplement relevant professional experience but is not a substitute for demonstrated skills and competencies in the areas noted above. Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience will be considered.

BENEFITS

Being able to enjoy the quality of life in the beautiful state of Montana is one of the benefits you will love about this opportunity! Our mountains, waterways and open spaces provide not only beautiful scenery but year-round recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, biking, fishing, boating, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling. Montana boasts a high-quality education system and a variety of entertainment including fairs, rodeos, and theaters. Read more about our great state here. See our other incredible benefits here . These are some of our benefits just to name a few: Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana. 38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays. Military leave: You’ll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay. Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises. Health, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, flexible spending accounts, EAP - click here to learn more. Free telehealth and access to free employee medical clinics through our medical plan - click here to learn more. Choice between two retirement plans with an employer contribution between 8.73% - 9.07% of your annual salary. A third optional 457(b) deferred compensation plan is also available. – Click here to learn more. Public Service Loan Forgiveness- Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive loan forgiveness- click here to learn more! Career progression, training opportunities and room for professional growth. State employee discounts at various businesses across the state. E-Verify This agency is participating in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. After accepting a job offer and completing Form I-9, your information will be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration for verification. For more information about E-Verify, please visit the E-Verify website found here, Salary and Compensation Salary: $31.44 - 32.91 Hourly Telework Eligibility: Telework Eligible (Full-time telework is not available. Telework schedule must be supervisor approved.) Benefits Package Eligibility: Health Insurance, Paid Leave & Holidays, Retirement Plan Number of Openings 1 Employee Status: Regular Schedule: Full-Time Job Type Standard Shift Day Job Travel Yes, 15 % of the Time Primary Location Billings Other Locations Laurel, Shepherd Contact Office of Human Resources | View email address on click.appcast.io | View phone number on click.appcast.io EEO Statement State government does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, creed, political beliefs or affiliation, veteran status, military service, retaliation, or any other factor not related to merit and qualifications of an employee or applicant. #J-18808-Ljbffr State of Montana