Assistant Director, School Certifying Official

Appalachian State University•Boone, NC

About The Position

Military Affiliated Services reports to the Office of the Dean of Students ( ODOS ) and is part of the ODOS team. The mission of Military Affiliated Services is to promote and facilitate a seamless transition for veterans from military life to academic life and to support the academic success of student veterans and military affiliated students through collaboration with campus partners while using best practices. The primary purpose of the Assistant Director, School Certifying Official ( SCO ) position is to assist military-connected students, prospective students, and staff with administrative needs tied to Veteran Affairs (VA) education benefits. The SCO will evaluate and process Department of Veterans Affairs education benefits, verify student benefit eligibility, assist students through the benefit application process, and update benefit information on a continuous basis. This position will coordinate with additional staff to ensure processes are completed in a timely manner and will engage in all required VA training requirements.

Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree is required from an accredited college or university, as well as one year of general administrative experience involving public contact in a higher education setting or equivalent.
Experience showing strong customer service skills, as well as excellent oral and written communication skills, are required.

Nice To Haves

Prefer at least one year of VA benefit processing experience or equivalent.
Knowledge of SCO reporting procedures and standards is preferred.
Master’s degree preferred, especially in a related area such as higher education administration/leadership.
Experience with automated financial aid delivery systems (Banner/ FAMS / SCT ) is desirable, as is familiarity with report writing tools, such as BRIO , PL/ SQL , or Web Focus.
A highly organized individual with work experience showing the ability multitask and who is detail oriented is extremely desirable.

Responsibilities

Act as liaison between the Department of Veteran Affairs and Appalachian’s Military Connected Students who are utilizing VA education benefits.
Assist students who are eligible for education benefits in applying through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Keep VA informed of the enrollment status of students receiving VA education benefits.
Certify students receiving VA education benefits each term.
Monitor use by Post-9/11 GI Bill students and be able to differentiate between tuition/fee payments to properly certify to VA.
Coordinate/supervise other staff that support the certification process.
Along with other duties as assigned.
Assist Student Accounts Department to identify students who are eligible for VA education benefits.
Audit and monitor payments received by the VA and assist with the processing of debt letters.
Assist in the Student Veteran Services Center and on the Military Affairs Committee ( MAC ).
Apprise supervisors of any internal problems which may affect service to VA students.
Maintain records for at least three years following the student’s last date of attendance and ensure records are filed electronically.
Keep up to date on current VA rules, benefits, and participate in VA trainings.
Ensure that VA students are aware of their responsibility to the school; attendance/registration
Maintain an environment that is welcoming to all students and staff.
Successful candidates will demonstrate leadership and innovation in recruiting and serving students in respectful, sensitive, and understanding ways.
Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Assist in the development and execution of the outreach and recruitment of military affiliated students, which includes active duty service members, National Guard and Reservists, veterans and military dependents.
Responsible for some in-person attendance at recruiting, engagement, and yield events each year.