FT Veterans Specialist

Cerritos College • Norwalk, CA

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The Veterans Specialist performs specialized technical and clerical work supporting students who are veterans or dependents of veterans. The position provides guidance on admission, enrollment, student records, academic progress and success, and student status; processes veterans’ benefits; and provides information and support to military-connected students. The specialist serves as a technical resource for the District and students, ensuring compliance with regulations governing veterans’ benefits and eligibility.

The role oversees the distribution of federal and state veterans’ benefits and serves as the designated School Certifying Official for all benefit programs. It coordinates with the VA, the college, students, and other institutions; maintains accurate student and benefit records; resolves issues related to enrollment, academic standing, tuition, fees, and benefit payments; and performs a broad range of admissions, records, cashiering, reporting, and clerical functions. The position also supports and trains student and temporary employees as assigned.

This is a full-time, 12-calendar-month classified position at Cerritos College. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and is performed indoors in an office environment. The position requires an associate’s degree and four years of experience in an admissions or student enrollment function; direct, progressively responsible admissions/enrollment experience may substitute for some post-secondary education. Ongoing training is required.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree.
• Four years of experience in an admissions or student enrollment function; direct and progressively responsible experience in admissions/enrollment may substitute for some post-secondary education.
• Ongoing training is required.
• In-depth knowledge of veterans’ benefit regulations and policies, educational codes, and guidelines governing community college admissions and student records.
• Working knowledge of college policies and procedures concerning registration, residency, instructor and student records, military-connected students, student discipline, and legal processes.
• Knowledge of state and federal educational benefits affecting military-connected students.
• Knowledge of major and course articulation and matriculation concepts.
• Working knowledge of personal-computer software, including VAONCE, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation graphics, and specialized organizational applications.
• Ability to enter and extract data and reports from student information systems.
• Knowledge of office methods and procedures, English usage, grammar, composition, spelling, and punctuation.
• Knowledge of basic bookkeeping and cashiering practices and procedures, and sufficient math skills for business computations.
• Human-relations skills to use appropriate telephone etiquette, explain procedures, resolve conflicts, and represent the College positively.
• Ability to perform admissions and records processes and apply current regulations, policies, educational codes, and guidelines.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, prioritize work, analyze problems, and determine solutions.
• Ability to compile and evaluate data and prepare reports, charts, and graphs using standardized formats.
• Ability to keyboard and use a mouse or other pointing device to operate a computer, peripherals, and common office equipment.
• Ability to remain calm under stress, work under pressure, meet deadlines, maintain attention to detail, and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to compose office correspondence, meet keyboarding production requirements, analyze documentation, and research and analyze technical information.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and filing systems and protect confidential or sensitive information.
• Ability to function as a cashier and work cooperatively and productively with others.
• Ability to sit at a workstation for extended periods and stand upright and forward-flex for intermittent periods.
• Ability to interact with students at departmental service windows; read written materials and computer screens; hear and speak for ordinary and telephone conversations and hear equipment prompts; and use hand-eye and finger dexterity for writing, keyboarding, pointing, and data entry.
• Ability to reach files and move supplies and equipment in and out of storage areas.
• May require a valid driver’s license.
• Employment requires fingerprinting for criminal-history clearance, submission of an original Social Security card, a TB Risk Assessment reviewed and signed by a health professional, proof of California residency, proof of eligibility to work in the United States, and signing a loyalty oath. The District does not provide immigration sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Experience serving as a School Certifying Official at an educational institution.
• Working knowledge of Enrollment Manager and Tungsten systems.
• Experience managing and coordinating certification processes for military-connected benefits, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E), and Chapter 35.
• Experience working with student veterans and other military-connected students in a college setting.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the distribution of federal and state veterans’ benefit programs.
• Provide technical guidance to current and prospective students about eligibility and enrollment requirements for veterans’ benefits.
• Interpret admissions and student-record guidelines and coordinate District requirements with veterans’ requirements.
• Serve as the designated School Certifying Official for all veterans’ benefit programs, maintain knowledge of regulations and procedures, and complete annual compliance training.
• Act as a liaison among the VA, the college, and students, advocating for resolution of problems.
• Represent the District in local and federal veterans’ affairs consortiums.
• Distribute and monitor VA payments to student accounts under Chapter 31 and Chapter 33 guidelines; resolve tuition payment and discrepancy issues; and amend or adjust records in VA and District software.
• Research, interpret, clarify, and resolve issues involving admissions, registration, matriculation, residency, academic status, course conflicts, and fees.
• Receive and evaluate official transcripts from other educational institutions and verify accreditation.
• Process non-traditional credit requests, prerequisite clearances, late registration, and enrollment changes.
• Maintain accurate and current student records, including transcripts, waivers, education plans, demographic and vital information, grades, and record changes.
• Enter and extract data in automated systems, prepare reports, and audit data accuracy.
• Assist students with obtaining records and transcripts; mail transcripts and enrollment verifications; and order verifications and transcripts from other institutions.
• Verify class enrollment status for students and faculty and facilitate transactions such as student petitions.
• Maintain attendance, instructor-drop, and grade records; issue and process instructor records; and resolve discrepancies while informing instructors of enrollment changes.
• Review and update student records for compliance with educational codes; identify course repetitions; prepare probation and dismissal notifications; and evaluate dismissal appeals for accuracy and completeness.
• Perform quality control in educational advising by identifying discrepancies or omissions while evaluating degree petitions.
• Process grade changes and academic renewal petitions, notify students of decisions, and update student records.
• Assist students with special needs, as appropriate.
• Serve on or support committees as assigned.
• Receive, count, and reconcile registration funds; post collections to appropriate accounts; and verify revenue categories on cash summary reports for accuracy and auditability.
• Post receipts to student financial records, prepare bills for unpaid balances, and audit and update refund reports.
• Prepare student refund reports.
• Compose general office correspondence and perform routine clerical work, including filing, data entry, bulk-mail processing, and form completion.
• Participate in the selection, training, assignment, and review of student and temporary help.
• Maintain current knowledge and skills relevant to the position and perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• District contribution toward medical, dental, and vision benefits, with a cash-in-lieu option for medical insurance.
• Employee life insurance of $50,000.
• Participation in the Public Employees’ Retirement System, integrated with Social Security.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree