Veterans Center Program Coordinator

Central Washington University is recruiting a Program Coordinator to join our Veterans Center team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is an 11-month cyclic, campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a salary, depending on experience, from $41,724 annually to $55,584 annually plus the awesome CWU benefits.

Who we are:

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.

Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find diverse academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~10,000 students.

Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, for the seventh time in eight years, CWU is a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.

Tour our campus in Ellensburg here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjdhOegDa9A

What we offer:

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: Benefits, Perks, and Leave.

The Role:

The Veterans Center Program Coordinator will coordinate and organize procedural operations within the Veterans Center at Central Washington University and assist students with navigating their VA Education Benefits and connect them to other campus or community resources. This position will also coordinate programming for our veteran student population and the greater campus community regarding veteran mental health. There is extensive involvement with students, staff, and the public which involves scheduling, coordination of events, monitoring program activities, and budgetary oversight to determine consistency with program goals. All employees are expected to support CWU's commitment to diversity and to bring and support inclusion into the university environment.

School Certifying Official (SCO) Duties:
- Serve as an additional School Certifying Official and assist with certifying process quarter-to-quarter.
- Review files of newly reported enrollment to VA for other SCOs and move the documents to the permanent student file.
- Evaluate for compliance with programs and courses in which the veterans are enrolled.
- Provide information on various GI Bills to prospective and currently enrolled student veterans and family members of veterans.
- Counsel veterans and family members concerning VA regulations and requirements for receiving VA benefit payments and advise students regarding the effective utilization of Federal assistance available.
- Assist with obtaining required documentation from students and follow established department practices to maintain accurate and organized electronic files.
- Maintain digital files to ensure programs are consistent with audit practices and records retention standards.
- Monitor current student data and deactivate students upon discontinuation of enrollment, graduation, or academic suspension.
- Collaborate with Financial Aid office to provide resources and assistance to veterans and family members regarding availability of VA financial aid waivers, grants, and other financial information.
- Assist and/or refer student veterans, potential students, and family members to access resources and services offered through Student Engagement & Success, Housing, Admissions, Registrar, Financial Aid, Career Services, etc. to ensure a smooth transition for students entering the university and retention of current students.
- Participate in professional organizations that deal with veteran topics (i.e. NASPA, NAVPA, etc.).
- Engage in ongoing professional development and training to stay current on CWU policies, VA Education, and VA Enrollment Management.

Mental Health Programming:
- Coordinate new programs or events designed to target our military-connected student population with a Mental Health focus.
- Assess events to determine their efficiency and success at reaching potential students, staff, and faculty.
- Develop partnerships with local, regional, and national constituents.
- Implement CWU programs and services targeted at helping our student veterans succeed academically and personally as well as ensuring that student veterans at CWU are connected with the local community.
- Work collaboratively with campus stakeholders, including Health & Wellness programs, to coordinate events with a mental health focus. This includes developing marketing materials and strategies, working with on-campus catering, and complying with budget policies.
- Partner with Human Resources when applicable to bring speakers or training for faculty and staff that provides guidance on best practices for connecting student veterans with mental health resources.
- Conduct research as needed.

Fiscal Support:
- Provide oversight and back-up to Office Assistant 3 in maintaining, monitoring, and reconciling budgets and fiscal records; recognize discrepancies; initiate budget transfers; inform director of status.
- Assist in preparing quarterly and annual program and fiscal reports.
- Attend meetings and/or conferences as program liaison.
- Use word processing, graphics, statistical, spreadsheet and/or data base software.

- Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's Degree or any combination of education and experience which clearly demonstrates the ability to perform essential functions of the position.
• Experience with culturally and economically diverse populations.
• Experience working in student services or a customer service setting.
• Experience or training that demonstrates the ability to use computers, Word, Excel, Outlook, Internet and/or similar software applications to produce written correspondence, create and maintain spreadsheets, and receive and respond to e-mail inquiries, and tasks.
• Experience working with programs or agencies that serve active-duty military, veterans, and/or family members of veterans.
• Strong interpersonal, writing, and speaking skills.
• Excellent networking, organizational, and planning skills.
• Demonstrated willingness and/or experience working with students and/or co-workers from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, and experiences.
• OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with the VA Education certification process as a School Certifying Official (SCO).
• Knowledge of the unique needs of active-duty members, veterans, and their families in a student center environment.
• Military Service: time served with honorable discharge or currently serving.
• Experience in counseling, mentoring, and advising in a student-centered environment.
• Experience with event coordination with internal and external stakeholders.
• Life experiences that demonstrate an ability to contribute to CWU's commitment to inclusion and diversity.
• Demonstrated participation in programs designed to promote inclusion.

Competencies

• Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines and work schedules.
• Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action.
• Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives.
• Commitment to Diversity: Recognizes the value of diversity and helps create environment that supports and embraces diversity.

Don't meet every single requirement? At CWU we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. This may be the job for you!

Salary: This position is based on the range 40 of the Washington State Classification Listing, which has a minimum annual salary of $41,724 and maximum annual salary of $55,584. In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate's current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position.

Schedule/Appointment: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm (1 hour lunch) / 11-month cyclic appointment

Working Conditions: Work is performed in an indoor office setting with frequent in-person interactions. It is essential to be able to remain at a desk/computer workstation for prolonged periods of time, perform extensive data entry and other computer-related tasks and create/maintain filing systems for departmental records. Some evening or weekend work and/or occasional travel may be required.

Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit Benefits, Perks, and Leave.

An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program.