School Certifying Official I

School Certifying Official I

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• An Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university and/or equivalent in work experience will be considered.
• Minimum of two (2) years of related experience as an SCO, VEB specialist, financial aid specialist, or student facing position at an accredited college or University, or equivalent, is preferred.
• Experience with Enrollment Manager Required.
• Must complete VA Required SCO training modules within 30 days of start date.
• Experience in higher education preferred.
• Experience working in a technology-driven enterprise preferred.
• All skills, abilities and education will be considered for minimum qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate the requirements for the University’s receipt of a student’s military benefit(s) by analyzing and monitoring the student’s enrollment, financial account, other financial aid, and academic records; and interpreting and explaining while staying abreast of the changing regulatory environment that may impact the University’s policies and procedures for receiving and processing of military benefits.
• Process veteran’s affairs (VA) enrollment certifications for eligible students by coordinating with applicable University departments (Registrar, Financial Aid, Student Accounts) and ensuring all benefits and related documentation including certification forms and status change forms are processed timely and accurately.
• Interview students/veterans, coordinate benefits delivery with central/regional VA processing office, process advance payments requests as appropriate, update the system (Peoplesoft), reconcile with VA certification records, research history of benefits received, review enrollment reports, and update student accounts, as required.
• Coordinate timely filing of all VA documentation ensuring all paper and computer records are adequately safeguarded and properly retained.
• Assist in the development and revision of office policies and procedures, as necessary.
• Reconcile all incoming payments and prepare deposits for the University Cashier.
• Attend the necessary Military meetings/workshops, and webinars that impact students benefits and success as well as the University’s compliance.
• Troubleshoot student issues and assist leaders in working with the military funding sources to investigate and resolve student complaints.
• Disseminate Shopping Sheets to prospective students and proactively communicate to continuing students regarding regulatory changes that impact a student’s eligibility for military benefits.
• Ensure quality improvements in all aspects of office policies and procedures as well as the regulations for delivering benefits to students.
• Reasonable and consistent attendance to fulfill requirements of the position.
• Other duties as assigned to include: Serve as liaison with the State Approving Agency (SAA) and Education Liaison Representatives (ELR) for all VA approval and compliance matters.
• Coordinate with the Registrar’s Office, Project Management Office, and internal stakeholders to review and implement catalog and program changes impacting GI Bill® benefit administration.
• Prepare and submit VA Form 22-10287 (Application for Approval of Institutions of Higher Learning) to support new program approvals and updates.
• Manage the university’s VA WEAMS (VA Form 22-1998) data, ensuring accurate reflection of approved/withdrawn programs, active campus locations, and designated SCO personnel.
• Submit VA Form 22-8794 to add, remove, or modify School Certifying Officials (SCOs) in coordination with compliance requirements.
• Maintain and reconcile the university’s Approved Program List to ensure alignment between VA’s Enrollment Manager system and WEAMS report.
• Serve as a contributing member of the VA Compliance Audit response team.
• Support internal Quality Assurance initiatives and recordkeeping practices to ensure adherence to Title 38 and the VA School Certifying Official Handbook.
• Monitor College Finance Plans, Resource Packets, Statements of Understanding, and other departmental documents to ensure accuracy, adequacy, and alignment with VA compliance standards.
• Assist with responses to student complaints received through the GI Bill Feedback System; maintain and update a centralized complaints database.
• Attend recurring meetings related to new and modified academic programs, and other meetings, to support VA approval and compliance activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education preferred.
• Experience working in a technology-driven enterprise preferred.