Director of the Veterans Success Center - Oakland, United States - Samuel Merritt University

Description

Description:
Job Description Summary:
The Veterans Success Center (VSC) provides programs and services to veterans, active duty, reservists, and dependents who are considering attending the University or who are currently enrolled. Specifically, VSC administers all veterans' benefits programs, supports students during their transition to college, and connects military and civilian personnel at area bases with educational opportunities at SMU. The director is responsible for services, recruitment, and staffing. The Director of the Veterans Success Center serves as an enthusiastic, engaged, and effective professional with an excellent work ethic who acts as a university expert on veteran/military student success and represents the Academic and Student Affairs Division in developing key relationships to recruit and support military-affiliated students.Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide Leadership for the VSC: Develop departmental mission of related goals, programs, services, student recruitment, and budgets.
• Identify and implement measures to improve office efficiency and effectiveness to ensure process changes are implemented that will advance the office to best serve military-affiliated students.
• Lead and supervise staff members and numerous VA Work Study student teams.
• Ensure all team members provide excellent customer service to military members, veterans, and family members.
• Advise university leadership regarding military and veteran students' concerns and legislative issues.
• Coordinates and promotes workshops for faculty, staff, and students regarding returning veterans with disabilities, and physical/nonphysical disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and varied learning styles.
• Build and maintain collaborative working relationships to ensure best practices in collaboration with other enrollment departments such as the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, as well as the Registrar and the Business Office to support military-affiliated students during their transition to campus.
• Ensure Accurate and Timely Awarding of Student Benefits: Maintain knowledge of federal/state legislation, rules, policies, and procedures pertaining to veteran student benefits to ensure the university's compliance. Oversee support for students related to VA and state benefit procedures and other resources that impact Student Success.
• Coordinate the updating of AU's DoDMOU (Department of Defense Memorandum of Agreement) and Veterans Affairs Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS) or renew agreements when necessary.
• Supervise efficient and accurate processing and reconciliation of active duty and veteran educational benefits, including maintaining coursework and registration for Tuition Assistance in all military branch portals. Coordinate tuition assistance and VA educational benefit processing with the Business Office, Registrar, Office of Admissions, Financial Aid Office, and Information Technology.
• Direct the maintenance of active-duty tuition assistance portals and the VA web portal (VA ONCE) for SMU. Oversee correct reporting of student progression and graduation to Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense as well as the return of funds to these agencies when students withdraw.
• Supervise the administration of the VA Scholarship Program benefits including invoicing and reconciliation for all branches of the service.
• Monitor other types of financial aid students receive to remain in compliance with federal and state laws regarding duplication of benefits.
• Supervise the invoicing and reconciliation of student accounts.
• Serve as the Representative for Military-Affiliated Students to Foster Student-Focused Partnerships with Community and Governmental Partners: Identify, develop, and maintain active collaboration and partnerships with veterans, veteran groups, government agencies, and other military-related organizations. Establish a network to assist the university with supporting and recruiting Veterans to the university.
• Understand current federal and state legislation relating to benefits for military service veterans and their dependents. Develop programs and activities with other agencies rendering services to veterans.
• Create a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for SMU University to be an on-post education provider at installations in the Bay area.
• Identify opportunities for MOAs and articulation agreements to recruit military-affiliated students. Serve as point of contact.
• Identify opportunities to build a relationship with industries that includes assisting their workforce with degree completion and increasing military scholarship opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Office of Alumni Affairs to fundraise for scholarships and services for military-affiliated students.
• Create Programming and Services to Increase Enrollment, Retention, and Persistence: Provide strategic day-to-day program planning through initiation, execution, and assessment of programs and services that support the enrollment, engagement, success, and satisfaction o]f military-affiliated students and promote a military-friendly campus environment.
• Utilize all available means to communicate with prospective students about the programs and services available at the university. Develop and maintain a concise and complete web page which provides information about all military and veteran's services and events on campus.
• Develop and distribute printed publications and use social media to advertise educational opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Department of Communications and Marketing to develop comprehensive branding and recruitment material for the university targeted to the military-affiliated community.
• Expand outreach to military members and veterans using resources available within the community.
• Participate in opportunities provided by ACES (Army Continuing Education Services), attend orientation sessions at the Veteran's Transition Center, and participate in other recruitment opportunities as they are available.
• Act as a transfer credit ombudsman by suggesting credit by examination, credit for prior knowledge, or credit for training (where applicable). Coordinate veteran-to-veteran tutoring and/or mentoring upon request.
• Support, coordinate, and assist in the recruitment of veteran students from higher education institutions and hospital affiliates.
• Coordinate services for military-affiliated students and family members with other providers on campus and in the community. Coordinate with all campus offices to ensure the population we serve receives excellent, comprehensive student services. Assess needs to be able to recommend services that can improve the student's Serve on university committees to represent military-affiliated students.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned by the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs or Dean of Students.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree and 6-10 years of related work experience (with at least 2 years of directly supporting college student veterans) required. Master's degree in student affairs, education, counseling, or related field preferred. Candidates must possess the following professional competencies for Student Affairs educators, as outlined by ACPA/NASPA:
• Personal and Ethical Foundations
• Values, Philosophy, and History
• Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
• Law, Policy, and Governance
• Organizational and Human Resource
• Leadership
• Social Justice and Inclusion
• Student Learning and Development
• Technology
• Advising and Supporting
• Skills/Abilities:
• Effective communication skills.
• Strong budgetary skills.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Ability to take appropriate steps to promote and sustain effective working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment.
• Ability to understand the needs of a diverse population.
• Ability to engage and work in collaboration.
• Supervise and evaluate the performance of assigned staff.

Employee Status:
RegularExemption Status:
United States of America (Exempt)Time Type:
Full timeJob Shift:

Pay Range:
Salary range $97,330 to $126,530

Samuel Merritt University currently provides base salary ranges for all positions-on job advertisements-in the United States based on local requirements. Individual compensation will ultimately be determined based on a variety of relevant factors including but-not limited to qualifications, geographic location, and other relevant skills.