School Certifying Official - Military and Veterans

School Certifying Official - Military and Veterans

Westcliff University is seeking a detail-oriented and compliance-focused School Certifying Official (SCO) to manage VA education benefits across our multi-campus system. The successful candidate will serve as the primary liaison between veteran students, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Department of Defense (DOD) ensuring strict adherence to federal and state regulations.

Essential Job Duties

• Execute high-frequency "Dual Certification" cycles across a multi-campus student population (e.g., Irvine, San Francisco) by managing distinct Facility Codes and complying with the Isakson and Roe Act to guarantee accurate BAH/MHA payments based on physical attendance.
• Manage end-to-end VR&E (Chapter 31) financial processes, including reconciling Purchase Orders against student ledgers and uploading invoices to the Tungsten Network, to secure accurate university reporting and prevent the creation of student debt.
• Administer the DoD Tuition Assistance (TA) program by processing authorization forms, submitting invoices via military portals, and adhering to grade verification policies to ensure timely reimbursement and compliance with the DoD MOU.
• Maintain audit-ready "Golden Files" for all VA students—comprising COEs, academic audits, and financial disclosures—and calculate 85/15 enrollment ratios for each individual campus to ensure continuous regulatory readiness and full compliance with Section 1018.
• Coordinate cross-campus outreach initiatives and represent the university at veteran-focused events, education fairs, and military bases to assist prospective military students and strengthen relationships with community organizations across all locations.
• Advise prospective and current veteran students across all campus locations regarding benefit eligibility (Chapters 30, 31, 33, 35, 1606) and the financial impact of academic decisions to foster student retention and minimize benefit disruptions.
• Utilize the VA Enrollment Manager system to submit Form 1999s and report status changes (graduations, terminations) within 30 days to maintain accurate federal reporting and avoid penalties.
• Attend annual VA/AVECO conferences and mandatory training workshops to maintain School Certifying Official (SCO) certification and stay current on changing federal regulations and legislative updates.
• Handles other projects and tasks as needed

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or
• Experience: Minimum of 2–3 years of direct experience as a School Certifying Official (SCO) in a higher education setting.
• Proficiency with VA Enrollment Manager (mandatory).
• Experience with Tungsten Network for VR&E billing (mandatory).
• Experience with Student Information Systems (SIS)

Preferred Experience

• Military experience or a strong personal connection to the military community.
• Experience with admissions and student recruitment in a higher education setting.
• Proven track record of developing programs that support student engagement and success

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws. Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an at-will basis, unless otherwise contractually bound.