Veteran Support Coordinator (Office of Veteran Success)

The University of South Florida (USF) Office of Veteran Success (OVS) has served the needs of USF student veterans and their families since 1973.  OVS offers specialized programs, within a supportive learning-centered environment, to veterans and eligible dependents. OVS aims to assist military-connected students transition from military-to-academic into a meaningful career providing success beyond service. Through connectedness with our campus partners, we provide academic success, personal growth, and professional development opportunities. The agreed consistent and sustained support by USF to the Department of Education in 2016 provides student-centric coordinated services for military-connected students across OneUSF. This position requires considerable contact with student veterans and other military-connected students through academic mentoring sessions, advising appointments, and workshops.  This contact requires demonstrated human relations and communications skills as well as strong written communication.  Veteran Support Coordinator is expected to possess extensive knowledge about academic programs, policies, procedures, and VA Educational Benefits rules and regulations.  The coordinator must interpret student veteran needs and academic progress and provide individualized service, as well as assisting students who might have difficulties.  The targeted student population is all student veterans, all academic levels, and all standings at USF, with a focus on full-time undergraduate student veterans, both FTIC and transfer.  

• Responsible  for providing comprehensive oversight of programs and services aimed at enhancing the academic, career, and personal success of the student Veteran population. This role entails collaborating with current and prospective student veterans as well as their dependents within the Veteran community. The Program Manager will also serve as a trusted advisor to the student veteran organization on campus and will supervise VA work study students.
• Facilitates individual growth and achievement. Collaborates seamlessly with campus resources including Student Accessibility Services, Career Services, SOCAT, TRAC, Academic Advocacy, the Counseling Center, USF Colleges and Academic Advisors, Bay Pines Veteran Affairs, and Clearwater Vet Center, to offer comprehensive and well-rounded support to student veterans. 
• Create programs with a strong academic focus designed to enhance the academic achievements of student veterans and encourage their active engagement on campus. Collaborate closely with student veteran organizations on campus to design initiatives that foster a sense of community and facilitate meaningful social connections among student veterans. 
• Act as the primary advisor to the student veteran organization on campus, focusing on fostering active community engagement, facilitating leadership development opportunities, and advocating for the needs of student veterans.
• Serve as a surge certifying official for VA educational benefits and work in tandem with other certifying officials in the office.  Maintain military student records within VA ONCE; assist students, staff and faculty with inquiries related to VA educational benefits; process enrollment certifications for students as directed by the OVS Senior Benefits Coordinator; maintain proper records for enrollment certifications as described in the OVS SOP, VA rules and regulations, and the School Certifying Official (SCO) Handbook.
• Serves as the liaison for the Office of Veteran Success at the St. Petersburg Campus within Student Success Committees and other campus-specific capacities. Creating initiatives for the Office of Veteran Success aimed at enhancing student achievements, cultivating collaborations across the campus, and nurturing an inclusive atmosphere for students with military connections.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: This position requires a Bachelor’s degree, with at least one year of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications: Prior work experience in a college or university environment. Prior experience working with veterans and military-connected individuals. Ability to work collaboratively with on and off-campus partners, and build and sustain relationships with a diverse population of students, faculty, staff, parents/families, and community partners to address a wide array of situations. Experience handling confidential and sensitive information and situations with diplomacy, exercising excellent judgment that is congruent with federal, state, and university policy. Superior critical thinking and organization skills and experience developing and administering assessment tools.

SB1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements

Under Florida's SB 1310, a public