Director, Military & Veteran Services

Augusta University is Georgia's innovation center for education and health care, training the next generation of innovators, leaders, and healthcare providers in classrooms and clinics on four campuses in Augusta and locations across the state. More than 12,000 students choose Augusta for educational opportunities at the center of Georgia's cybersecurity hub and experiential learning that blends arts and application, humanities, and the health sciences. Augusta is home to Georgia's only public academic health center, where groundbreaking research is creating a healthier, more prosperous Georgia, and world-class clinicians are bringing the medicine of tomorrow to patient care today.  Our mission and values https://www.augusta.edu/about/mission.php make Augusta University an institution like no other.

Augusta University's distinct characteristics in education and research include real-world experiences and community engagement, as well as a culture of building community, corporate and government partnerships that address health, security, economic and societal concerns locally and across the state.

The University System of Georgia https://www.usg.edu/hr/orientation/welcome_to_the_board_of_regents_university_system_office is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office.  Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect.  These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found online at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Augusta University-

Our Health Sciences Campus: 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA 30912

The Office of Military and Veteran Services (MVS) creates an educational experience for our military-connected students and their families by providing student-centered customer service, open communication, and educational benefit processing.

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 duties include, but are not limited to:

SUPERVISE THE OFFICE OF MILITARY & VETERAN SERVICES:

• Provide leadership for the Office of Military and Veteran Services (MVS), who, during the 2023¿2024 academic year, processed educational benefits for over 1,600 military students, totaling approximately $4M in paid tuition and fees.
• Develop departmental mission and related goals, programs, services, and budgets for MVS.
• Identify and implement measures to improve efficiency and effectiveness and 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 members. 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 Augusta University office and classroom at Fort Eisenhower provided by ACES (Army Continuing Education System).
• Monitor and manage control of expenditures within state-appropriated budgets, VA indirect cost recovery budget, and foundation budgets.
• Provide data and information to university leadership regarding military and veteran students, their status, barriers, and programming.
• Coordinate with other campus departments, such as Institutional Effectiveness, as needed for mandatory submission of military student-related data for IPEDS, the 85/15 report, and others, as well as surveys evaluating AU's military-friendly status.
• Advise university leadership regarding military and veteran student concerns and legislative issues.
• Build and maintain collaborative working relationships to ensure best practices in collaboration with other enrollment departments, such as Admissions, New Student and Family Transitions, Financial Aid, Registrar, and the Business Office, to support military-affiliated students during their transition to campus.

SERVE AS LEAD SCHOOL CERTIFYING OFFICIAL FOR AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY:

• Mitigate loss of VA and DoD funding by:
  • Ensuring accurate and timely awarding of student benefits.
  • Processing changes in student enrollment statuses in a timely manner.
  • Submitting timely annual academic catalogs, new academic programs for funding approval, annual DoD tuition rate updates, and other data requirements.
  • Ensuring compliance with Principles of Excellence.
  • Reconciling military educational funding accounts as quickly as possible.
  • Preparing a timely response to any VA or DoD student complaint.
• Maintain knowledge of federal and 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 DoD MOU (Department of Defense Memorandum of Agreement) and Veterans Affairs Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS), including renewing agreements in a timely manner.
• 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 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 when required.
• Supervise the administration of the Health Professions Scholarship Program benefits, including 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.

LEAD THE DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY-AFFILIATED STUDENT DEVELOPMENT:

• Create support services and programming to increase student enrollment, retention, and persistence.
• Plan and organize events that celebrate the military community, both on and off campus.
• 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.
• 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 Fort Eisenhower personnel.
• Establish a network to assist the university with supporting and recruiting veterans to the university.
• Develop programs and activities with other agencies rendering services to veterans.
• Coordinate veteran-to-veteran tutoring and/or mentoring upon request.
• 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.
• Create programs and initiatives that build community and a sense of belonging.
• Support the Student Veteran's Association and other military-connected student organizations.
• Serve as a point of contact and reference for faculty in navigating military-related situations, such as requested accommodations during reservist annual training.
• Periodically conduct military and veteran students' needs assessments to determine current issues facing these individuals and plan or revise services accordingly.

STRATEGICALLY RECRUIT MILITARY-AFFILIATED STUDENTS TO AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY:

• Maintain the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Augusta University to be an on-post education provider at Fort Eisenhower.
• Participate in opportunities at Fort Eisenhower provided by ACES (Army Continuing Education Services), Warriors in Transition Battalion, Eisenhower Medical Center, Georgia Cyber Center, and other organizations.
• Attend orientation sessions at the Veteran's Transition Center and participate in other recruitment opportunities as they become available.
• Serve as the point of contact for the AU Degree Completion Initiative.
• Identify opportunities for MOAs and articulation agreements to recruit military-affiliated students.
• Identify opportunities to build relationships with industries, including assisting their workforce with degree completion and increasing the Military Completion Scholarship.
• Collaborate with the Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement to fundraise for scholarships and services for military-affiliated students.
• 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 webpage that provides information about all military and veteran services and events on campus.
• Develop and distribute printed publications and use social media to advertise educational opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Department of Communications & 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.
• Act as a transfer credit ombudsman by initiating and coordinating credit by examination, credit for prior knowledge, or credit for training, where applicable.
• 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 served receives excellent, comprehensive student services.
• Assess student needs to recommend services that can improve the student experience, such as the Academic Success Center, Counseling Services, or Testing and Disability Services.

OTHER DUTIES:

• Serve on university and system committees to represent military-affiliated and non-traditional students.
• Complete any additional activities as assigned by the Associate Vice President of Access, Success, and Belonging or the Executive Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES: Perform all other duties as assigned.

Masters degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 5 years' experience serving military/veteran students in a higher education setting.  Must be eligible for approval for access to Fort Gordon and to obtain the status of a School Certifying Official.

2 or more years of experience supervising professional full time staff
Extensive experience working with budgets, financing, and budget reconciliation
Experience certifying student veterans and veteran dependents
Serving in the military
Fundraising and/or donor stewardship in higher education


 

KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge of federal rules and regulations by the Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense, as well as
special needs of veterans and other military connected populations and available financial aid benefits.

SKILLS
The Director must possess leadership skills and a student-centered mindset. Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential. 
Experience in marketing/public relations, supervision, and budget management is critical. Organizational skills to manage a multi-focused operation are necessary. 

ABILITIES
Ability to interpret Veterans
Administration and Department of Defense regulations and act as a liaison between the military student and the Veterans Administration or the Department of Defense. Ability to develop and report meaningful data and information. This position will network with many campus and
community partners requiring the need to form and maintain strong relationships on and off campus.

Shift: Days; M-F (Work outside of normal business hours may be required)

Pay Band: B13

Salary: $68,500.00/annually-$75,000.00/annually

Salary to be commensurate with qualifications of the selected candidate within the established range (generally minimum-midpoint) of the position

Recruitment Period: Until Filled

Augusta University offers a variety of benefits to full-time benefits-eligible employees and some of our half-time (or more) employees.

Benefits that may be elected could include health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, Teachers Retirement System (or Optional Retirement Plan), as well as earned vacation time, sick leave, and 13 paid holidays.

Also, our full-time employees who have been employed with us successfully for more than 6 months can be considered for the Tuition Assistance Program. Consider applying with us today!

All selected candidates are required to successfully pass a Background Check review prior to starting with Augusta University.

If applicable for the specific position based on the duties: the candidate will also need to have a credit check completed for Positions of Trust and or approved departmental Purchase Card usage.

Motor vehicle reports are required for positions that are required to drive an Augusta University vehicle.

For Faculty Hires: Final candidates will be required to provide proof of completed academic degree(s) as well as post-secondary coursework in the form of original transcript(s). Those candidates trained by a foreign institution will also be required to provide an educational/credential evaluation.

All employees are responsible for ensuring the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of sensitive [patient, student, employee, financial, business, etc.] information by exercising sound judgment and adhering to cybersecurity and privacy policies during their employment and beyond.

This position will require the acquisition of a P-Card and/or handle cash, credit or other sensitive information and will require a satisfactory Consumer Credit check as a condition of employment.

Augusta University is proud to be an equal opportunity employer welcoming applicants from underrepresented groups, including individuals with disabilities and veterans.

Consider applying with us today!

Applicants are encouraged to tailor their resumes to the position of interest by clearly highlighting relevant work experience and skills gained from previous employment. Resumes should reflect how your background aligns with the qualifications and responsibilities of the role.

https://www.augusta.edu/hr/jobs/

Select University Faculty & Staff > External Applicants if you are a candidate from outside the university

Select University Faculty & Staff > Internal Applicants if you are a current university employee

If you need further assistance, please contact us at 706-721-9365