Veterans Services Specialist (Three positions)

Palomar College; Harmon (ND); Hybrid; USD 767,000 - 933,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance fully paid for employees and

25 paid holidays

Job summary

Palomar College seeks three Veterans Services Specialists to certify VA education benefits and support student veterans. You will coordinate compliance activities, oversee various VA programs, and plan events on and off campus while collaborating with the VA, district departments and students.

The role requires three years of relevant experience and an associate’s degree in business administration or related field; School Certifying Official training is provided.

Qualifications

• Three years of experience involving college admissions, enrollment or records and/or administrative support while serving in any branch of the U.S. military.
• Equivalent to an associate’s degree in business administration or a related field; transcripts required for credit or substitutions.

Responsibilities

• Performs the full range of duties associated with certification and processing of student applications for VA education benefits.
• Serves as the VA School Certifying Official with responsibility for compliance activities on behalf of the District.
• Plans and implements on- and off-campus activities and events; acts as liaison for Veterans Services with the VA, the District and students.

Skills

VA benefits knowledge

Administrative support

Customer service

Military/veteran services

Education

Associate’s degree in business administration

Job description

Veterans Services Specialist (Three positions)

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

• The hiring committee will determine if interviews will be conducted in person at the College or via Zoom. Travel expenses are not reimbursed by the College. If a second-level interview is required, second-level travel reimbursement is only available for eligible candidates. HR will notify those who are eligible when second-level interviews are scheduled.

Position Information

Position Title

Position Title Veterans Services Specialist (Three positions)

Department

Department Veterans' Services

Primary Location

• Palomar College believes a healthy work-life balance can improve the physical, emotional, and mental health of our employees. In support of this belief, the District offers the opportunity to work remotely for certain positions, depending on the operational needs of the District and the provisions of the Remote Work Policy. Probationary employees are not eligible to work remotely unless approved by the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Human Resource Services. No employee is guaranteed the right to work remotely. No employee shall be authorized to work remotely 100% of the time unless approved by the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Human Resource Services.
• Palomar has multiple campus locations (San Marcos, Escondido, Rancho Bernardo and Fallbrook); training may occur at any of these locations and the work location is subject to change depending on future department needs.
• Potential future vacancies may include other District departments, locations, and/or work schedules (i.e. days, evenings or nights).

Full or Part Time

Full or Part Time Full-Time

Category

Category Classified

Hours per week 40

Number of Months 12 month

Work Schedule

• Monday – Thursday, 9:00am – 6:00pm; Friday, 7:30am – 4:30pm
• Occasional night and weekend hours may be required due to department needs.

Grade

Grade 26

• $5,733.10 [step 1] – $6,963.41 [step 5]. Step placement may be negotiable within this range dependent upon education and experience.
• If you are a current employee who applies via the external recruitment process and is selected for a promotion, step placement on the new grade will be in accordance with the applicable District agreement/handbook.

Salary/Wage Frequency Monthly

In addition to a competitive compensation structure, Palomar College also offers an extremely generous benefits package.

• Insurance fully paid for employees and their eligible dependents: four medical plans, dental HMO , and the vision plan (additional plans are available that require employee buy up/monthly contribution)
• Vacation, sick leave and 25 paid holidays
• $80,000 employee term life/accident insurance policy (additional buy up options available)
• Employee long-term care insurance
• Employee Assistance Plan ( EAP ) – Confidential free counseling, financial, legal, personal and professional development resources for all members of your household
• Additional buy up options available for other voluntary insurance benefits
• Enrollment in CalPERS (California Public Employees Retirement System)

The estimated maximum value of this employer-paid benefits package is approximately $31,245.84 annually.

Primary Function

Performs the full range of duties associated with certification and processing of student applications for Veterans Administration (VA) educational benefits in accordance with all applicable legal requirements and guidelines; serves as the VA School Certifying Official with responsibility for all compliance activities on behalf of the District; under general supervision, responsible for researching the scope and requirements of a variety of VA programs, scholarships and grants; participates in hiring, schedules and oversees the work of short-term, volunteer and student workers; plans and implements a variety of on- and off-campus activities and events; serves as liaison for Veterans Services programs with the VA, the District and students.

Minimum Qualifications

To be eligible for this position, you must meet and provide evidence of the following minimum qualifications:

Experience: Three years of experience involving college admissions, enrollment or records, and/or administrative support experience while serving in any branch of the U.S. military

• Note: For work experience, a “year” is defined as equivalent to 40 hours per week for 12 months.

AND

Education: Equivalent to an associate’s degree in business administration or a related field. Transcripts must be included to receive credit for education and/or to substitute education in lieu of experience (i.e. Bachelor’s degree = 4 years of experience). Click here for Guidelines for Equivalency for Classified Positions.

Only coursework completed at, and degrees awarded by, accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education will be considered as satisfying the minimum qualifications. Coursework and degrees that are completed outside of the United States are required to have transcripts evaluated (evaluation to U.S. equivalency and a course by course analysis) by an appropriate U.S. credentials evaluation service. For a list of credentials evaluation agencies accepted by Palomar College, visit the National Association of Credentials Evaluation Services ( NACES ) website at https://www.naces.org/index , or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ) website at http://aice-eval.org/.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Antiracism (DEIAA) Statement

Palomar College is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and antiracism ( DEIAA ). We are dedicated to empowering students to succeed and are guided by our core values; some of which are the following:

• Access – We make education possible for everyone.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – We recognize and respect diversity, seek to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, and strive to address inequities.

All positions require cultural competency which includes the sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty, and staff.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience serving in the U.S. Military, with knowledge of military culture and the needs of student veterans.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a School Certifying Official (SCO) or administering veterans’ educational benefits.
• Demonstrated experience working in a California Community College, particularly in veterans’ services or a related student services area.

Licenses and/or Certificates

• Positions in this classification are required to attend School Certifying Officials training after hire and annually thereafter.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Supervision Received From: Supervisor, Veterans’ Services

Supervision Given: N/A

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions: Essential responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• 1. Serves as the VA School Certifying Official responsible for the District’s compliance with all VA regulations outlined in the VA Certifying Official Handbook; under general supervision, responsible for researching the scope and requirements of a variety of VA programs, scholarships and grants; attends regular meetings and conferences to receive updated training and information pertaining to VA regulations and policies and procedures; consults with VA officials and other colleges’ Certifying Officials for assistance with regulations and procedures for resolution of complex problems.
• 2. Prepares, hosts and conducts annual Compliance Surveys with auditors from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the California State Approving Agency including verifying student transcript evaluations, current major declarations and education plans; billing to the VA of tuition and fees; grade reporting for all VA-certified courses; VA-mandated academic probation and dismissal; applicable District catalog information; internal policies and procedures; and VA work study students’ contracts, duties/responsibilities, schedules and timecards.
• 3. Provides technical information and assistance to students and staff regarding VA benefits, enrollment, fees and other applicable information; provides guidance to students in correct procedures for completion of forms, applications, VA processes and enrollment; explains applications, requirements and restrictions; refers students to other areas of Student Services as appropriate.
• 4. Provides case management and support for VA students; reviews applications and other information and certifies student enrollment status for VA benefits; determines appropriate VA educational program and eligibility and provides necessary forms; reviews completed forms for accuracy and completeness; reviews and processes student certifications, unit changes, and VA paperwork related to educational benefits; determines eligibility and approves applications for waivers such as CalVet; notifies students if any additional information is needed; posts awards in system and files applications.
• 5. Monitors students’ enrollment and course completion to ensure compliance with educational plans developed by academic counselors and VA requirements; implements requests to Evaluations and Records for Prior Credit Evaluation (PCE) of all academic transcripts from other colleges.
• 6. Monitors grades for VA students; prepares correspondence for end-of-term communications, monitors responses and adjusts certifications as necessary; tracks, updates and monitors VA student status regarding priority enrollment status.
• 7. Monitors all incoming payments made by the Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of G.I. Bill recipients; adjusts VA certifications determined by financial aid awards; places enrollment blocking services indicators on student accounts who owe the District additional funds; creates and initiates payments of debts owed in compliance with VA, Treasury and VA Debt Management requirements; verifies and initiates refunds to students for overpayments of tuition and fees.
• 8. Coordinates all planning and logistics for events on- and off-campus pertaining to the Veterans Services office or veteran students such as Veterans Day and Memorial Day ceremonies, student orientations, outreach, student workshops, Professional Development workshops, Veterans Program Administrators of California meetings between San Diego County colleges/universities and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Region 10 meetings between San Diego County community colleges and VA organizations; develops and/or distributes outreach materials including flyers, brochures, posters, handbooks, reports and letters; maintains and updates information on the Veterans Services website and social media accounts; serves as liaison for all military‑affiliated students at Palomar College to other District departments and community organizations.
• 9. Assists the Palomar College Foundation regularly with raising funds for veteran student programs and services by gathering and disseminating data for grants, applications and prospective donors; conducts tours for potential donors and District officials around Veterans Services and the Veterans Resource Center; works with Research and Planning to develop and disseminate statistical information regarding veteran students on campus.
• 10. Maintains the Veterans Resource Center; ensures the center is open throughout each semester; monitors the utilization of the center and responds to questions and inquiries by VA students; ensures maintenance of the Center’s equipment and workstations.
• 11. Participates in training and provides day‑to‑day guidance to lower‑level staff, short‑term employees and student workers; assists in assigning and reviewing work, ensuring completeness, accuracy and conformance with District standards; provides subject matter expertise; trains new employees and provides orientation on new assignments; assists in maintaining a fair and open work environment in accordance with the District’s commitment to teamwork, mutual trust and respect; arranges for approval and submission of timesheets for short‑term and student workers; serves as a liaison between the department and outside vendors and/or other District departments.
• 12. Maintains and archives student VA benefit records; documents student contact in VA files; audits records to ensure accuracy; collects, compiles, verifies and records information for the generation of reports for the District and state and federal agencies; prepares and maintains VA student files; certifies VA students’ enrollment status at Palomar College upon request by other colleges at which students are concurrently enrolled; notifies other colleges of VA students’ concurrent enrollment at Palomar College.
• 13. Develops procedures, forms, applications and other documents; produces a variety of computer-generated reports and statistical data for the District.
• 14. Establishes student group listings and processes positive service indicators in PeopleSoft for enrollment fees for veterans certified for educational benefits.
• 15. Initiates and maintains the issuance and tracking of third‑party accounts for vocational rehabilitation students; maintains accurate records and logs; assists with billing verification and ensures the timely and accurate reconciliation of all related transactions.
• 16. Inputs data and prepares and processes purchase requisitions, purchase orders and check requests; verifies the accuracy of receipts and invoices including routing for signature and compiling complex, detailed documentation; processes, scans and routes invoices for payment; calculates budget usage and fund percentages; tracks multiple funding sources; maintains separate budget and expense tracking programs based on funding sources; runs general budget reports through spreadsheets and financial systems and calculates budgets based on fiscal cycles of the District and funding sources; prepares and processes expense‑related forms including travel requests and reimbursements, petty cash and expense reports; reconciles credit card statements.
• 17. Participates in the development and implementation of procedures for new and upgraded systems that impact VA processes; assists with documenting new workflows; ensures consistency, compliance and efficiency with new and existing procedures.
• Marginal Functions:
• 1. Performs related duties and responsibilities as required.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Knowledge of:

• 1. VA regulations, rules and policies regarding educational benefits eligibility and certification, VA State Approving Agency regulations and associated practices, processes and procedures.
• 2. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other state and federal laws, rules, regulations and policies governing student admissions and financial aid.
• 3. Methods and techniques of interviewing and advising students and applicants.
• 4. Operations of a computer and uses of standard business applications including word processing, spreadsheet and database software, enterprise software, and appointment scheduling software.
• 5. Office administration practices and procedures, including filing and recordkeeping systems.
• 6. Basic research methods and procedures.
• 7. Business mathematics and basic bookkeeping concepts and procedures.
• 8. Principles and practices of sound business communication; correct English usage, grammar, spelling and punctuation.

Skill in:

• 1. Interpreting, explaining and applying VA, state and federal financial aid regulations, policies, procedures and practices, ensuring consistency and a high degree of accuracy.
• 2. Advising students regarding VA educational benefits eligibility, financial aid, available services and associated processes and requirements.
• 3. Evaluating alternatives and reaching sound decisions within areas of assigned responsibility.
• 4. Auditing and reconciling complex student and financial records and accounts.
• 5. Assigning and inspecting the work of lower-level staff.
• 6. Operating a computer, enterprise software, word processing and spreadsheet software and other standard business equipment.
• 7. Maintaining sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, age, cultural, physical or mental disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, medical condition, nationality, race, sex, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, faculty, and staff.
• 8. Preparing clear, concise and accurate records, data entries, reports and other written