Director of Military and Veterans Services

The Office of Military and Veteran Services (MVS) provides programs and services to veterans, active-duty, reservists, and dependents who are considering attending Augusta University or who are currently enrolled. Specifically, MVS administers all veterans’ benefits programs, supports students during their transition to college, and connects military and civilian personnel at Ft. Gordon with educational opportunities at Augusta University. The director is responsible for services, recruitment, and staffing for Augusta University at Ft. Gordon, as well as the Office of Military & Veterans Services and Military Resource Center on the Summerville Campus. The Director of the Office of Military and Veteran Services serves as an enthusiastic, engaged, and effective professional with excellent work ethic who acts as a University expert on veteran/military student success, and represents the Division of Enrollment and Student Affairs in developing key relationships to recruit and support military-affiliated students.

The responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Provide Leadership for the Office of Military and Veteran Services: Develop departmental mission of related goals, programs, services, and budgets for the Office of Military and Veteran Services (MVS). Identify and implement measures to improve office efficiency and effectiveness to ensure process changes are implemented that will advance the office to best serve military-affiliated students.
• Lead and supervise five staff members and numerous VA Work Study student team. Ensure all team members provide excellent customer service to military members, veterans, and family members.
• Manage the Office of Military and Veterans Services and the Military Resource Center on the Summerville campus. Provide supervision of the management of the Augusta University office and classroom at Fort Gordon provided by ACS (Army Continuing Education Services).
• Monitor and manage control of expenditures within budgets.
• Provide data and information to university leadership regarding military and veteran students, their status, barriers, and programming. Advise university leadership regarding military and veteran students concerns and legislative issues.
• Build and maintain collaborative working relationships to ensure best practices in collaboration with other enrollment departments such as Admissions and Financial Aid, as well as the Registrar and the Business Office to support military-affiliated students during their transition to campus.
• Ensure Accurate and Timely Awarding of Student Benefits: Maintain knowledge of federal/state legislation, rules, policies and procedures pertaining to veteran student benefits to ensure the university's compliance. Oversee support for students related to VA and state benefit procedures and other resources that impact Student Success.
• Coordinate the updating of AU's DoDMOU (Department of Defense Memorandum of Agreement) and Veterans Affairs Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS) or renewing agreements when necessary.
• Supervise efficient and accurate processing and reconciliation of active duty and veteran educational benefits, including maintaining coursework and registration for Tuition Assistance in all military branch portals. Coordinate tuition assistance and VA educational benefit processing with the Business Office, Registrar, Admissions Office, Financial Aid Office, and Information Technology. 
• Direct the maintenance of active duty tuition assistance portals and the VA web portal (VA ONCE) for Augusta University. Oversee correct reporting of student progression and graduation to Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense as well as the return of funds to these agencies when students withdraw.
• Supervise the administration of the Health Professions Scholarship Program benefits to include invoicing and reconciliation for all branches of the service.
• Monitor other types of financial aid students receive to remain in compliance with federal and state laws regarding duplication of benefits.
• Supervise the invoicing and reconciliation of student accounts.
• Serve as the Representative for Military-Affiliated Students to Foster Student-Focused Partnerships with Community and Governmental Partners: Identify, develop, and maintain active collaboration and partnerships with veterans, veteran groups, government agencies, other military-related organizations, and Ft. Gordon personnel. Establish a network to assist the university with supporting and recruiting Veterans to the university.
• Understand current federal and state legislation relating to benefits for military service veterans and their dependents. Develop programs and activities with other agencies rendering services to veterans.
• Maintain the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Augusta University to be an on-post education provider at Ft. Gordon.
• Identify opportunities for MOA's and articulation agreements to recruit military affiliated students. Serve as point of contact for the AU Degree Completion Initiative.
• Identify opportunities to build relationship with industries that includes assisting their workforce with degree completion and increase the Military Completion Scholarship.
• Collaborate with the Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement to fundraise for scholarships and services for military-affiliated students.
• Create Programming and Services to Increase Enrollment, Retention and Persistence: Provide strategic day-to-day program planning through initiation, execution, and assessment of programs and services that support the enrollment, engagement, success, and satisfaction of military-affiliated students and promote a military-friendly campus environment.
• Utilize all available means to communicate with prospective students about the programs and services available at the university.
• Develop and maintain a concise and complete web page which provides information about all military and veteran's services and events on campus
• Develop and distribute printed publications and use social media to advertise educational opportunities
• Collaborate with the Department of Communications and Marketing to develop comprehensive branding and recruitment advertisements for Augusta University targeted to the military affiliated community
• Expand outreach to military members and veterans using resources available within the community
• Participate in opportunities at Fort Gordon provided by ACES (Army Continuing Education Services), Warriors in Transition Battalion, Eisenhower Medical Center, Georgia Cyber Center, etc., attend orientation sessions at the Veteran's Transition Center, and participate in other recruitment opportunities as they are available.
• Act as a transfer credit ombudsman by suggesting credit by examination, credit for prior knowledge, or credit for training (where applicable). Coordinate veteran to veteran tutoring and/or mentoring upon request.
• Coordinate services for military affiliated students and family members with other providers on campus and in the community. Coordinate with all campus offices to ensure the population we serve receives excellent, comprehensive student services. Assess needs to be able to recommend services that can improve the student's experience such as the Academic Success Center, Counseling Services, or Testing and Disability Services.
• Foster campus inclusion by implementing awareness programs that articulate the benefits of having Student Veterans on campus, and the challenges Student Veterans experience in the community. Facilitates programs and initiatives that build community and a sense of belonging. Support the Student Veteran's Association.
• Periodically conduct military and veteran students' needs assessments to determine current issues facing these individuals and plan/revise services accordingly.
• Serve on university committees to represent military-affiliated students. 
• Perform all other related duties as assigned by the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management or Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs

Please visit https://www.augusta.edu/hr/jobs/, click University Careers and search for job opening 218795.

Augusta University/ AU Health is an equal opportunity employer including individuals with disabilities and veterans.