VMA Certifying Specialist – 534105
| Location | Miami, 11200 SW 8th St |
| Date Posted | January 3, 2025 |
| Category |
Education / Academia
|
| Job Type |
Full-time
|
| State | Florida (FL) |
Description
To apply please visit our careers site at careers.fiu.edu, click on "Prospective employees" and search job ID: 534105
Florida International University is a top public university that drives real talent and innovation in Miami and globally. Very high research (R1) activity and high social mobility come together at FIU to uplift and accelerate learner success in a global city by focusing in the areas of environment, health, innovation, and justice. Today, FIU has two campuses and multiple centers. FIU serves a diverse student body of more than 56,000 and 290,000 Panther alumni. U.S. News and World Report places dozens of FIU programs among the best in the nation, including international business at No. 2. Washington Monthly Magazine ranks FIU among the top 20 public universities contributing to the public good.
Job Summary:
The VMA Certifying Specialist in the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (VMA) has a primary responsibility for processing timely and accurate VA educational benefit certifications at the direction of the Program Manager who is the Lead VMA Certifying Official. The position will monitor student enrollments for student veterans and military connected students utilizing VA Educational Benefits. Additionally, the certifying specialist will monitor financial transactions related to VA educational benefits, working closely
with appropriate university offices to ensure regulatory compliance. The specialist will maintain a thorough working knowledge of military and veteran's educational benefits, including all state and federal legislative requirements.
- Operates as a school certifying official (SCO) for Veteran Administration and state educational benefits. Ensures that military-connected students receiving such benefits are properly certified and that the correct amounts are administered for tuition and fees each term. Maintains knowledge of federal and state legislation, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures pertaining to veteran and military-connected student benefits.
- Assists department leadership in the execution of programming that supports the academic, financial, career, physical, and social needs of military-connected students, as needed.
- Supports the department's management of the student lifecycle including recruitment, orientation, and enrollment of military-connected students.
- Provides case management, such as reviewing student's certifications, reporting, and monitoring for military-connected students to ensure compliance with enrollment hours, degree plans, and academic standing. Runs degree and grade reports as required to monitor student academic status. Refers students experiencing academic and/or personal difficulty to the VMA success coaching team.
- Analyzes existing and proposed VMA and institutional policies and procedures; analyzes Department of Defense (DoD) and Florida Department of Veterans Affairs (FDVA) regulations to identify problem areas and potential non-compliance; recommends changes to enhance compliance with institutional and VMA policies. Works with various campus units (University Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, etc.) to implement policies and procedures that ensure compliance with applicable federal and state agency regulations.
- Collaborates with enrollment services and academic advisors for military transcript evaluation and American Council on Education (ACE) recommended transfer credits for service members.
- Assists in the training, development, and supervision of new staff and student assistants related to VA and university policies, procedural updates, and the certification process to improve the quality and accuracy of service.
- Serves as a subject matter expert regarding state/federal regulations and benefits by attending professional development and training opportunities, reading VA advisories and bulletins. Maintains an understanding of institutional policies, programs, and procedures to include academic program statuses and student statuses.
- Assists in preparing for DoD Memorandum of Understanding renewal, WEAMS updates, and compliance audits.
Minimum requirements:
High school diploma or GED and six (6) years of office or related experience coordinating functions of an office or department.
Desired Qualifications:
Knowledge of advanced features in Microsoft Office Suite, SharePoint and industry standard software such as Canva, Hootsuite, Zoom, Constant Contact, and Adobe Suite.
Advertised Salary:
$37,000 - $40,000
Work Schedule:
Begin time: 8:30 AM
End time: 5:00 PM
Pre-Employment:
Criminal Background Check
Other Information:
- Ability to work evenings and weekends.
- Ability to work flexible hours as needed
Disclosures:
Clery Notice
In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the University Police department at Florida International University provides information on crimes statistics, crime prevention, law enforcement, crime reporting, and other related issues for the past three (3) calendar years. The FIU Annual Security report is available online at: https://police.fiu.edu/download/annual-security-fire-safety-report/.
To obtain a paper copy of the report, please visit the FIU Police Department located at 885 SW 109th Avenue, Miami, FL, 33199 (PG5 Market Station).
Pay Transparency
Florida International University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.
FIU is a member of the State University System of Florida and an Equal Opportunity, Equal Access, Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.