Veterans' Services Officer

Waukesha County; Waukesha (WI); On-site; USD 51,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health/dental/vision insurance

Life insurance

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Waukesha County is seeking a Veterans Services Officer to oversee staff, coordinate claims, and counsel clients on benefits and resources. The role emphasizes privacy protection, trauma-informed service, and inter-department collaboration.

The position is in-person with a standard 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. schedule, with occasional after-hours events and a Civil Service exam. A Bachelor's degree is preferred but not required.

Qualifications

• Graduation from a recognized college or university with a bachelor's degree preferably with a major in business administration or the social sciences.
• Two years of work experience providing social or financial guidance and counseling to clients, or a closely related field.
• Obtain Veterans Affairs General Counsel Accreditation within eighteen (18) months of hire.
• Any special requirements as set forth in the Wisconsin State Statutes.
• Valid Driver's License.

Responsibilities

• Establish work priorities, service standards, workload expectations, and cross-training plans for division staff.
• Participates in staff recruitment, onboarding, coaching, professional development, performance management, and corrective action in accordance with County policy.
• Promotes a professional, respectful, trauma-informed, and customer-focused work environment.
• Protects confidential client and County information, including personally identifiable information, military records, benefit claims, financial information, and protected health information when applicable.
• Complies with applicable privacy, information-security, records-retention, and public-records requirements.
• Uses and accesses confidential information only as necessary to perform assigned duties.
• Maintains secure and accurate electronic and paper client records in accordance with County policy and applicable law.
• Coordinates preparation of claims, applications, decision-review requests, and appeals within the scope of Veterans Affairs accreditation and applicable law.
• Provides non-clinical benefits counseling, advocacy, service navigation, and referral assistance.
• Refers matters requiring legal representation, clinical treatment, or specialized services to qualified attorneys, accredited representatives, VA providers, County departments, or community partners.
• Assists clients in accessing resources related to behavioral health, substance use, housing, financial stability, employment, transportation, caregiver support, legal needs, and crisis services.
• Identifies and administers eligible grants and funding opportunities supporting veterans' programs and services.
• Develops and tracks performance measures, including claims activity, benefits awarded, client contacts, outreach activity, appointment access, referrals, grant compliance, and customer-service results.
• Maintains procedures to support consistent, timely, and equitable delivery of veterans' services.
• Coordinates with Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Communications, Corporation Counsel, Emergency Management, and other County departments as needed.
• Maintains continuity-of-operations procedures for critical services, client records, claims assistance, staff communications, and public information during emergencies or service disruptions.
• Ensures staff are cross-trained and prepared to maintain essential services during absences, emergencies, or operational disruptions.
• Uses secure County-approved case-management, records-management, VA and Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs systems, databases, productivity applications, and virtual-meeting tools.
• Maintains current knowledge of veterans' benefits, claims procedures, federal and state law, privacy requirements, ethics, trauma-informed service practices, and County policies.
• Completes required County training and relevant continuing education.

Skills

Social/financial guidance experience

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

SALARY RANGE$36.85 - $51.18

WORK ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

The following responsibilities supplement the existing Waukesha County Veterans Service Officer job description.

Leadership and Staff Oversight

Establishes work priorities, service standards, workload expectations, and cross-training plans for division staff.

Participates in staff recruitment, onboarding, coaching, professional development, performance management, and corrective action in accordance with County policy.

Promotes a professional, respectful, trauma-informed, and customer-focused work environment.

Privacy, Records, and Information Security

Protects confidential client and County information, including personally identifiable information, military records, benefit claims, financial information, and protected health information when applicable.

Complies with applicable privacy, information-security, records-retention, and public-records requirements.

Uses and accesses confidential information only as necessary to perform assigned duties.

Maintains secure and accurate electronic and paper client records in accordance with County policy and applicable law.

Claims Assistance and Client Service

Coordinates preparation of claims, applications, decision-review requests, and appeals within the scope of Veterans Affairs accreditation and applicable law.

Provides non-clinical benefits counseling, advocacy, service navigation, and referral assistance.

Refers matters requiring legal representation, clinical treatment, or specialized services to qualified attorneys, accredited representatives, VA providers, County departments, or community partners.

Assists clients in accessing resources related to behavioral health, substance use, housing, financial stability, employment, transportation, caregiver support, legal needs, and crisis services.

Program Administration and Accountability

Identifies and administers eligible grants and funding opportunities supporting veterans' programs and services.

Develops and tracks performance measures, including claims activity, benefits awarded, client contacts, outreach activity, appointment access, referrals, grant compliance, and customer-service results.

Maintains procedures to support consistent, timely, and equitable delivery of veterans' services.

Coordinates with Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Communications, Corporation Counsel, Emergency Management, and other County departments as needed.

Continuity and Emergency Operations

Maintains continuity-of-operations procedures for critical services, client records, claims assistance, staff communications, and public information during emergencies or service disruptions.

Ensures staff are cross-trained and prepared to maintain essential services during absences, emergencies, or operational disruptions.

Technology and Professional Development

Uses secure County-approved case-management, records-management, VA and Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs systems, databases, productivity applications, and virtual-meeting tools.

Maintains current knowledge of veterans' benefits, claims procedures, federal and state law, privacy requirements, ethics, trauma-informed service practices, and County policies.

Completes required County training and relevant continuing education.

This is an in-person position with a regular work schedule of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The position may require occasional work outside normal business hours to attend veteran events, public meetings, trainings, emergency activations, or other operational needs.

Candidates who advance in the selection process must complete and achieve a passing score on a Civil Service examination, tentatively planned to take place before or on 11/20/2026.

A Bachelor's degree is preferred but not required.

CLASSIFICATION SPECIFICATION

To view the full classification specification for Veterans' Services Officer click here .

Minimum Training & Experience Requirements

1. Graduation from a recognized college or university with a bachelor's degree preferably with a major in business administration or the social sciences.
2. Two (2) years of work experience providing social or financial guidance and counseling to clients, or a closely related field.
3. Obtain Veterans Affairs General Counsel Accreditation within eighteen (18) months of hire.
4. Any special requirements as set forth in the Wisconsin State Statutes.
5. Valid Driver's License.

Waukesha County provides a comprehensive compensation and benefits package including excellent health/dental/vision, life insurance, generous paid time off (vacation, 10 holidays, 3 floating holidays, ample accrued sick time that rolls over each year), an exceptional pension plan with employer match and lifetime retirement payment plus an optional tax advantaged 457 retirement savings plan. Amongst many other benefits, employees are recognized and valued through a pay for performance system. Successful candidates will be eligible for perform