Senior Program Manager, UMKC Student Veteran Support Services

Overview

Hiring Department:
Student Veterans Affairs, within UMKC Student Affairs.

Job Description

• Research and Outreach:
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for all military-affiliated students and veterans at UMKC.
  • Oversee VA education benefits, VA workforce reemployment benefits, DoD Tuition Assistance benefits.
  • Lead and support VA audit activities, including preparation of documentation, data verification, and timely responses to audit findings for the Veterans Support Office.
  • Manage military-affiliated scholarships, including promotion, outreach, awarding, and tracking.
  • Revise and promote the Boots to Books Training throughout the year to increase campus and community awareness of best practices for supporting student veterans.
  • Collaborate with UMKC Strategic Marketing and Communications to develop marketing materials for veteran support programs.
  • Support recruitment and enrollment efforts by meeting with prospective student veteran students through Operation Enrollment to increase yield rates.
  • Serve as the co-advisor to the UMKC Student Veteran Organization (SVO).
  • Maintain and update the student veteran support services website to ensure accurate and accessible information.
  • Work in collaboration with the UMKC Offices of Admissions, Student Affairs and Academic Affairs to develop recruitment and onboarding for new and returning student veterans.
  • Provide oversight and management of the At Ease Zone to ensure a supportive environment for student veterans.
  • Conduct and evaluate the annual Student Veteran Needs Assessment, producing an executive summary with detailed analysis, process documentation, and high-level recommendations for program transformation and improvement.
  • Plan, coordinate, and implement events, workshops, and outreach activities. Develop, facilitate, and collaborate with campus departments to deliver a wide range of workshops on topics such as transitioning to college, the application and registration process, student success, and scholarship applications. Provide referrals to appropriate on- and off-campus resources.

• Build coalition and lead efforts to maintain Military Friendly Institution (Gold).
• Maintain the Orientation and Onboarding Program to support student veterans in their transition to college and increase awareness of available resources.
• Collaborate with UMKC Career Services to implement innovative programs and partnerships to promote education and career pathways for veterans (VFW, American Legion, Linked In, Microsoft, Regional/US/International).
• Foster sense of community and school identity through coordination of co-curricular and curricular events.
• Manage military-affiliated scholarships in promotion and awarding.
• Develop and lead facilitated discussions and workshops for both the campus community and student veterans on student veteran issues.
• Develop and implement spouse and dependent programming and outreach.
• Elevate support for transparency and accountability of student veteran retention and on-time graduation rates.
• Lead Military social protocol advisor for all military events, ceremonies, observances and DV/VIP (Distinguished Visitor/VIP) visitors/guests.
• Coordinate with the Offices of Admissions, Financial Aid, Cashier’s, Student Accessibility Services and Academic Advising to manage incoming student veteran intake, including initial application, VA disability rating/accommodations, course enrollment/degree completion, and management of VA certification process, VA work-study, graduation, and support of transitional activities.
• Maintain compliance of the University in accordance with federal regulations related to all types of VA and DoD benefits.

• Promote program offerings on social media (e.g., Facebook, Linked In, and GoArmyED).
• Coordinate with UMKC Alumni Office to support the UMKC Veterans Alumni Network.
• Provide leads to the Development Office that will result in non-tuition revenue.
• Assist with efforts to raise money for scholarship support.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with military/veteran, city/state/federal agencies, local community…