Description:
 

Job Description Summary:
 

The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) Advisor - contractor provides specialized advising, events planning, student engagement, and VA education benefits administration for veteran and military connected students enrolled at Samuel Merritt University (SMU).

This position serves as a designated School Certifying Official (SCO) for the University and is responsible for the accurate, timely certification of enrollment and enrollment changes to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The role supports institutional compliance with federal regulations while advancing student persistence, progression, and degree completion.

This position reports to the Dean of Students, with regular collaboration with Student Affairs, Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and Academic Program leadership. This is primarily an in-person role based in Oakland, CA, and requires regular travel to SMU’s regional campuses in California (Sacramento, Fresno and Foster City).

Duties and Responsibilities:

Veteran & Military‑Connected Student Engagement

• Provide individualized academic advising and success coaching to veteran and military‑connected students enrolled in professional and clinical programs.
• Assist students in navigating rigorous academic and clinical progression requirements while maintaining VA benefit eligibility.
• Develop and deliver veteran programming and veteran appreciation events for all SMU Campuses.

VA Certification & Compliance (SCO Responsibilities)

• Serve as an institutional SCO, certifying enrollments and reporting changes accurately and within required timelines.
• Interpret and apply VA regulations related to enrollment status, clinical participation, leaves of absence, withdrawals, and program changes.
• Support compliance reviews, audits, and documentation requests from VA or State Approving Agencies.

Case Management & Records

• Maintain an assigned caseload of veteran students and track academic progress, enrollment changes, and benefit‑impacting events.
• Maintain accurate certification records and documentation in compliance with FERPA and VA requirements.

Outreach & Collaboration

• Collaborate with Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Disability Services, Academic Support Services, Student Health and Counseling, and SMU Central.
• Participate in veteran‑focused orientation, outreach, and retention initiatives.

Required Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in Student Affairs, Higher Education Administration, Education, Counseling, Social Work, Public Administration, Health Sciences Administration, or a closely related field.

Professional Experience

• Applicants must already be knowledgeable in VA certification processes; this position is not intended for entry‑level SCO training.
• Minimum of two (2) years of prior experience serving as a designated School Certifying Official (SCO), within the past 5 years, at an institution of higher education, with responsibility for certifying VA education benefits.
• Two (2) or more additional years of professional experience in student services, academic advising, enrollment/registrar operations, financial aid, veteran services, or compliance functions within a higher education environment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated working knowledge of:
  • VA education benefits programs (Post‑9/11 GI Bill®, VR\&E, and related provisions)
  • Enrollment certification and change reporting requirements
  • FERPA and student records confidentiality
  • Academic standing, enrollment status, and satisfactory academic progress concepts
  • VA compliance surveys, audits, or State Approving Agency (SAA) reviews.
• Ability to accurately interpret and apply VA, institutional, and academic policies, preferably in non‑standard terms and clinical education settings.
• Demonstrated strong attention to deadlines, ensuring all time‑sensitive responsibilities, particularly those related to compliance, certification, and student support, are completed accurately and without delay.
• Candidates must possess a baseline level of 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
  • Soci