Financial Aid Counselor/VA School Certifying Official

Louisiana State University; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Louisiana State University of Alexandria seeks a Financial Aid Counselor / VA School Certifying Official to manage VA education benefits reporting, certification of eligible courses, and student progress tracking. You will maintain records and ensure privacy while coordinating with state and federal agencies.

The role requires attention to detail, strong communication, and experience with FERPA regulations, along with proficiency in MS Office and higher education processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 1-3 years in higher education, student services, or related field.
• Experience providing customer service to students and external stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail and data-entry accuracy.
• Experience interpreting and applying policies, regulations, and procedures.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidential student records in compliance with FERPA.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Report enrollment status to VA for students receiving benefits.
• Ensure only applicable courses are certified for benefits.
• Monitor grades, attendance, and progress; report probation/termination as needed.
• Notify supervisors, SAA, and ELR of changes affecting enrollment or benefits.
• Maintain VA student records and ensure privacy and retention per regulations.
• Keep up-to-date on state/federal regulations and VA benefits.

Skills

Customer service

Attention to detail

Policy interpretation

FERPA compliance

Communication

Recordkeeping

Multitasking

Fast-paced environment

Education

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Excel

Word

Outlook

Job description

About Us

Louisiana State University of Alexandria is a publicly supported institution that provides undergraduate level college education to the citizens of Central Louisiana. The university is a unit of the LSU System and operates under the auspices of the Louisiana Board of Regents. LSUA is located in Rapides Parish. All Job Postings will close at 12:01a.m. CST (1:01a.m. EST) on the specified Closing Date (if designated). If you close the browser or exit your application prior to submitting, the application progress will be saved as a draft. You will be able to access and complete the application through “My Draft Applications” located on your Candidate Home page.

Job Posting Title: Financial Aid Counselor/VA School Certifying Official

Position Type: Professional / Unclassified

Department

LSUA ASA - Financial Aid (Jeffrey R Massey (00005906))

Work Location

LSU - Alexandria

Pay Grade

Professional

Job Description

Responsibilities include: Reporting: Keep VA informed of the enrollment status of students receiving VA education benefits; Ensure that only those courses that apply to the student’s program are certified; Monitor student grades to ensure the student is making satisfactory progress, and report probation and termination as needed; Monitor attendance (when required), and report violations of school attendance policy; Monitor student conduct and report when student is suspended or dismissed for unsatisfactory conduct; Notify school supervisors of internal problems that may affect timely reporting of enrollment or changes to enrollment of students receiving VA education benefits; Notify the State Approving Agency (SAA) of any substantive program, policy, and approval criteria changes, and Notify the VA Education Liaison Representative (ELR) of any changes to SCO staff. Maintain records of VA students and make all records available for inspection by DVA or the SAA: Retain file (hardcopy or electronic) of certification documentation, records of academic progress, degree plan pursuit, prior credit transcripts and evaluation, registration documentation, tuition and fee charges, school application, enrollment agreements, and other applicable student documentation; Maintain records for at least three years following the student’s last date of attendance, and, Ensure that records are kept in a safe place and that the privacy of VA students is protected. Keep up-to-date on state and federal regulations and benefits: Read and maintain VA advisories and bulletins; Keep up-to-date on state regulations and state education benefits for veterans and eligible persons, and Attend training opportunities. Be knowledgeable about school policies and programs, such as: The school’s academic programs, what are the currently offered programs, what programs have been recently discontinued, or are planned to be discontinued; The school’s academic policies and approval criteria such as, satisfactory academic progress, academic probation, suspension, readmission, prior credit, etc. Assist students receiving VA education benefits in: Assist students in applying for state and VA education benefits; Identifying applicable resources for student success; Inquiring about payment and benefit problems; Ensuring that VA students are aware of their responsibility to the school, and Understanding how progress, conduct, registration and attendance can impact benefits and cause student debt. Process student awards, to include, but not limited to: Process student awards, to include, but not limited to, Veteran Readiness and Employment (CH31) and the Post 9/11GI Bill (CH33), Federal Title IV aid, such as Pell Grant, SEOG, Direct Student Loans, State aid, such as Title 29 Tuition Exemption, TOPS, GO Grant, and Institutional and private aid, such as scholarships and exemptions.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• 1-3 years of experience in higher education, student services, financial aid, registrar, veteran's affairs, admissions, or related field
• Experience providing customer service to students and external stakeholders
• Strong attention to detail and data-entry accuracy
• Experience interpreting and applying policies, regulations, and procedures
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to maintain confidential student records in compliance with FERPA
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and responsibilities in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving as a VA School Certifying Official
• Knowledge of GI Bill® education benefits and VA enrollment certification requirements
• Experience with VA Enrollment Manager
• Experience with PowerCampus, PowerFaids, or other student information systems
• Knowledge of federal Title IV financial aid regulations
• Experience working with military-affiliated students, veterans, reservists, and dependents
• Experience conducting compliance reviews, audits, or records management activities

Office Hours

Eight (8) hours per day, Monday –Friday 40 hours a week. Additional hours worked as needed.

Location

Abrams Hall

Additional Job Description

Competencies: None

Official transcripts and a background check will be required upon hire.

Skills Needed: Preferred Skills

Posting Date: October 16, 2026 Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

Additional Position Information

• Background Check - An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check.
• Benefits - LSUA offers outstanding benefits to eligible employees and their dependents including health, life, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement options; various leave options; paid holidays; wellness benefits; tuition exemption for qualified positions; training and development opportunities; employee discounts; and more!

Employer of Record Services

Positions approved to work outside the State of Louisiana shall be employed through Louisiana State University’s partner, nextSource Workforce Solutions, for Employer of Record Services including but not limited to employment, benefits, payroll, and tax compliance. Positions employed through Employer of Record Services will be offered benefits and retirement as applicable through their provider and will not be eligible for State of Louisiana benefits and retirement.

Essential Position (Y/N)

LSUA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

HCM Contact Information

Questions or concerns can be directed to the LSU Human Resources Management Office at 318-473-6401 or emailed [e-mail]

Louisiana State University Overview

LSU includes institutions, facilities and programs in each of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, and its campuses stretch the length of the state from New Orleans to Shreveport. Each institution plays a vital role in preparing students to incorporate new knowledge and technologies into their daily lives. LSU researchers across Louisiana are working on developing a wide-range of innovations to improve quality of life by studying issues such as disease management, advance medical treatments, obesity, coastal protection, hurricane preparedness, energy, natural resource management and agriculture, among others. Louisiana’s Flagship University is a land-, sea- and space-grant institution with academic programs in all areas of science, engineering, humanities, arts and social sciences. The University comprises of nine institutions: Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (“LSU”), the premier flagship university for the state, which include the Paul M. Hebert Law Center and the School of Veterinary Medicine Louisiana State University at Alexandria Louisiana State University at Eunice Louisiana State University at Shreveport LSU Health Sciences Center – New Orleans LSU Health Science Center – Shreveport The Health Care Services Division Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Pennington Biomedical Research Center Any other college, university, school, institution, or program now or hereafter under the supervision and management of the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College In implementing its mission, LSU is committed to: Offering a broad array of undergraduate degree programs and extensive graduate research opportunities designed to attract and educate highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students; Employing faculty who are excellent teacher-scholars, nationally competitive in research and creative activities, and who contribute to a world-class knowledge base that is transferable to educational, professional, cultural, and economic enterprises; and Using its extensive resources to solve economic, environmental, and social challenges.