Maricopa Community Colleges District is hiring: Student Services Manager-Veteran
Maricopa Community Colleges District, Mesa, AZ, US
The Manager of Veteran Services provides vision, leadership, and operational oversight for programs and services that support veteran, active-duty, and military-affiliated students. This role serves as the institution's primary liaison with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DoD), state agencies, and community partners, while fostering a veteran-friendly campus environment that promotes recruitment, retention, persistence, and completion. This position manages the veteran education benefit programs, acts as a liaison between student-veterans and the college, oversees certification and compliance with federal and state regulations, provides academic and financial advising, as well as develops supportive resources and programming to promote veteran student success.The Manager oversees staff, budgets, compliance, and outreach initiatives, ensuring services align with institutional goals and national best practices. The Manager will support and implement Mesa Community College's vision, mission, and values. Essential Functions Strategic Leadership & Planning (20%)
- Develop, implement, and assess the vision, mission, and strategic plan for Veterans Services in alignment with institutional priorities.
- Build and sustain partnerships with local, state, and national veteran and military organizations.
- Represent the college at military installations, community events, and higher education networks to advance veteran/military student success.
- Advocate for policies, resources, and services that remove barriers and improve outcomes for military-affiliated students.
- Serve as a School Certifying Official (SCO), process and verify student enrollments for federal and state VA educational benefits, including the GI Bill and Vocational Rehabilitation.
- Act as the main point of contact for the Department of Veterans Affairs and other external agencies to resolve benefit and payment issues.
- Direct the administration of VA and DoD educational benefits, including certification, reporting, and auditing processes.
- Review and maintain degree plans for students receiving Department of Veteran Affairs educational benefits.
- Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and institutional regulations (FERPA, VA School Certifying Official Handbook, DoD TA guidelines).
- Oversee daily office operations, staff scheduling, training, performance evaluation, and professional development.
- Monitor, evaluate, and refine policies, procedures, and services to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and student-centered delivery.
- Collaborate with recruitment and retention teams to develop and carry out recruitment, enrollment, and retention activities for military connected students.
- Provide accurate guidance on VA, DoD, and state benefit programs, including GI Bill, Tuition Assistance, MyCAA, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Dependents Educational Assistance.
- Coordinate orientations, workshops, and outreach programs tailored to veteran and military-affiliated students.
- Assist students with enrollment, transfers, financial aid navigation, and resolution of benefit-related issues.
- Create programming that fosters belonging, resilience, and engagement for military-affiliated students and their families.
- Manage and update associated databases with regard to VA specific information.
- Develop and execute an annual assessment plan to evaluate program effectiveness and student outcomes (enrollment, retention, graduation).
- Collect, analyze, prepare, and submit various reports and data to various internal and external stakeholders, including the VA, state agencies, and institutional leadership regarding veteran enrollment, benefits, etc.
- Prepare paperwork for annual school audit by the Department of Veteran Affairs or their designate.
- Recommend and implement improvements based on data-driven insights.
- Oversee and manage the VMSS budget, ensuring responsible stewardship of institutional and external funds.
- Pursue grants, philanthropy, and alternative funding sources to enhance services and programming.
- Ensure appropriate allocation of staff, resources, and facilities to maximize impact.
- Remain current on new or pending legislation and policies related to veteran and military educational benefits.
- Serve on various executive boards, college and district committees (including locally, regionally, and nationally) as designated and participate in meetings and conferences.
- Responsible for other reasonable related duties as assigned commensurate to the grade level of the position.