Auditor I

Be a Part of the City You Love The Office of the Chief Financial Officer - Treasury division is accepting applications for an Auditor I position. Position Summary The Auditor I class covers positions that will apply professional accounting and auditing knowledge, standards, and principles when performing the following duties: assisting on or performing work consisting of a systematic examination and appraisal of financial records, corporate, partnership, and individual tax returns, receipts and bookkeeping practices, financial and management reports, management controls, policies and practices affecting or reflecting the financial condition and operating results of an activity; conducting performance audits; conducting compliance reviews of income tax returns and clearance applications; assisting with individual or utility users tax audits or audit projects; or conducting activities related to the detection of fraud, waste, and abuse. This class also covers positions that apply pertinent laws, regulations, and rulings pertaining to taxes, and/or as required duties and tariffs to determine, educate and advise on the federal, state, and/or city tax liability of individual and business taxpayers. An Auditor I position in the Tax Policy and Compliance division will be assigned to Desk Audits. Auditor I will develop, learn and apply professional accounting and auditing knowledge, standards, and principles when performing the following duties: conducting compliance reviews of income tax returns and clearance applications; assisting with individual or utility users tax audits or audit projects; assisting with conducting investigations and observations; examining and assessing financial records, receipts and bookkeeping practices employed by businesses that are under audit. In addition, the Auditor I position in Income Tax is an entry-level position assigned to Desk Audits that requires effective writing and oral communication skills, adequate skills to learn and develop proficiency in Microsoft software particularly Excel and may be required to develop knowledge of the Oracle ERP system and the integrated tax software system being used by the Income Tax branch. The Auditor I position also requires a working knowledge of the City’s Income Tax Ordinance and the related regulations. Auditor I will apply standardized bookkeeping processes, accounting terminology, GAAP, GAAS, accounting techniques, and other financial rules and regulations. Reviews accounting, financial, and operating records and other data to determine level of compliance with established policies, procedures, and guidelines relevant to a specific activity to include the City Income Tax Ordinance, State of Michigan City Tax Code, and the Utility Users Tax Code. Conduct desk audits and investigations in accordance with Income tax procedures. Interpret and apply federal and state laws, regulations and income tax policies to assess tax compliance. Inspect account books and accounting systems for efficiency, effectiveness, and use of accepted accounting procedures to record transactions. Perform analytical compliance audits of income tax data for Clearance applications. Explains rules, regulations, policies, and procedures as they relate to a specifically assigned area to affected parties to assist them in achieving maximum compliance and resolves problems with returns. Cite provisions of the Income Tax Ordinance to support audit findings. May be required to learn the Income Tax audit approach and conducting a tax audit. Examines records and contacts taxpayers and representatives to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. Contacts taxpayers by mail, telephone, or on-site to address discrepancies, and to request supporting documentation. Prepares audit reports containing data on records audited, test checks made, conclusions reached, exceptions taken, objections made by audited party, and proposed action. Research federal and state income tax laws and regulations, utility users tax ordinance, and State of Michigan City Tax Code. Apply knowledge of accounting, business structure and federal, state, and local income tax to assess compliance. Provides customer assistance in examinations by explaining issues involving such matters as accounting and its applicability to tax law and regulations, prevention of future delinquencies, and appeal rights. May be required to perform Utility Users Tax reviews and audits in conjunction with the State of Michigan Utility Users Tax code. May be assigned City of Detroit internal / external audit and discovery projects. Required to work in conjunction with the City of Detroit clearance department in reviewing income tax clearance denials. This involves communicating directly with taxpayers via email, telephone, teams meeting and in-person via the OCFO Treasury Detroit Taxpayer Service Center (DTSC) email notification. Required to educate taxpayers on the City of Detroit income tax filing requirements for businesses and individuals. May be required to perform audit reviews for referrals to the Michigan Department of Treasury. Must learn current techniques, strategies and utilize available tools for research. Review State of Michigan compliance reports of tax filings in support of investigative clearance reviews. Receive and analyze taxpayer income tax and related documents for compliance with divisional policies. Follow division policies and procedures in performing duties. Performs special projects and duties as assigned. Education For all Auditors, it is a requirement to have completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course of work in accounting, finance, business administration, statistics or a closely related field. Such education must include at least twenty-four (24) semester (36 terms) credits in coursework of accounting or a related field. Advanced degrees in Finance, Accounting, Taxation, Business Administration or being an enrolled tax agent is preferred but not required. In addition, Auditors with a master's degree, such as Master in Accounting, Masters in Taxation, and other appropriate and related courses of study meet the minimum experience required for Auditor II. Experience For entry into the Auditor position, no work experience is required; however, the minimum education requirements must be met. One year of experience involving the examination and evaluation of the accounting, financial, operational, or control records of public agencies, private organizations, or individuals is preferred but not required. Auditors must demonstrate proficiency with integrated word processing and spreadsheet functions. Evaluation Plan Interview: 70% Evaluation of Training, Experience & Personal Qualifications: 30% Total of Interview and Evaluation T.E.P: 100% Additional points may be awarded for: Veteran Points: 0 – 15 points Detroit Residency Credit: 15 points LRD: 07/25/2024 #J-18808-Ljbffr