United Way of Lancaster County
POSITION DESCRIPTION:
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Director
Classification: Exempt
Purpose of Position:
The VITA Director is responsible for the overall management and success of the VITA Program. This includes but is not limited to planning and implementation of the program as required and outlined in the IRS grant. Building volunteer base by establishing relationships with local partners, increasing the number of tax returns prepared and expanding the geographical footprint to include all area of the city and county. Organizing training to assure IRS certification as required for volunteers and staff. The VITA Director will work with leadership to develop long-term strategic direction for the VITA program.
Reports to: Director of Business Operations
Responsibilities:
Recruitment
- In cooperation with UWLC’s Volunteer Center, Identify and engage in year-round opportunities throughout Lancaster County that offer platforms for volunteer recruitment of new volunteers to become trained and certified as VITA tax preparers.
- In cooperation with UWLC’s Human Resources, identify and select candidates for PT Seasonal paid site coordinator roles for each VITA site.
- Visit VITA sites throughout tax season offering support and assistance as needed including taking “on-call” hours and filling in as needed.
- Retain volunteers by ensuring volunteers have the best possible experience at VITA while ensuring high quality tax preparation services for clients.
Operations
- Oversee all VITA staff and volunteers.
- Maintain relationships with IRS, PA Department of Revenue and LCTCB.
- Coordinate with VITA staff and volunteer team to resolve client tax issues.
- Manage complex post-season tax issues.
- Develop relationships with community-based organizations to support common clients and programs (E.g.: Mid-Penn Legal, Money-In-Your-Pocket coalition)
- Oversee the planning and implementation of procedures at all tax preparation sites. Develop procedures and manuals to ensure that sites run smoothly, including but not limited to the areas of greeting and screening clients, processing intake forms, processing tax forms, troubleshooting, quality control, tracking client information and data, and transmitting returns to the IRS.
- Maintain VITA tax preparation certification at advanced level
- Ensure compliance with all IRS rules and regulations including quality site requirements.
Marketing
- In cooperation with the Marketing and Communications Department, participate in the development and execution of a marketing plan for the promotion of VITA and associated programs.
Training
- Develop a training plan and deliver trainings for new and returning volunteers and staff, assuring compliance and certification with the IRS.
Fundraising/Budget
- Work with leadership to identify and manage relationships with funders
- Work with leadership to write and manage grants, including the IRS VITA Grant
- Maintain accurate expense records and budget so that an accurate financial picture of VITA is maintained at all times for grant reporting to the IRS.
Special Assignments
- Make periodic presentations at workshops, public forums, board meetings, and media events.
- Work with Events Staff to coordinate an end-of-year Thank You event.
- Work with leadership to advocate for VITA and EITC at the Federal and State levels.
Travel Requirement:
To fulfill the responsibilities of the position, frequent travel to various VITA sites and agencies is required and sometimes urgent. Individual must have valid driver’s license and availability of reliable transportation. Mileage is reimbursed at the IRS standard rate.
Physical Requirement:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Able to bend, twist, and turn. Able to sit for 7-8 hours/day. Able to view computer screen and input data. Vision ability to include close vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. UWLC will provide reasonable accommodations to a qualified individual with a disability, as defined by the ADAAA, who has made UWLC aware of his or her disability, provided that such accommodation does not constitute an undue hardship for UWLC.
Desired Qualifications:
- Respect cultural diversity and Value inclusive and multicultural environment
- Tax preparation experience
- Flexible work schedule-to work evenings and weekends as needed and be “on call” during hours of operation for VITA sites, during tax season (January – April) (Off season flexibility is provided to counterbalance some of the tax season workload)
- Post-secondary education in a related field or equivalent applicable experience
- Organizational management experience in non-profit field
- Volunteer management experience
- Microsoft Office proficient
- Ability to prioritize and coordinate multiple tasks and assignments simultaneously
- Ability to perform with minimal supervision; well organized, detail oriented
- Excellent collaborative skills
- Experience and familiarity working with other community-based organizations
- Comfortable with community outreach and public speaking
- Bilingual in Spanish and English (a plus)
Other Helpful Qualifications:
- Prior experience managing a low- income team (retail/food service/etc.)
- Prior experience managing a budget
- Experience in creative problem solving