Job Summary

Under the general supervision of the Director, Veterans Resource Center, the Veterans Counselor/Certifying Official will perform the duties of the Certifying Official of the Veterans Administration (VA) Education Benefits Program, which includes the Federal Vocational Rehabilitation Program, the Educational GI Bill for veterans (or dependents) of deceased or disabled veterans, and the Reserve Bill. In addition, this position will be responsible for knowledge and implementation of current policies, regulations, and procedures administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs; the incumbent will be responsible for informing students of changes in VA policies and regulations, advising students of their educational rights, and providing general academic counsel.

Key Responsibilities

• Counsel to prospective and enrolled student veterans and dependents by offering a single point of contact for coordination of all University services.
• Advisor to the Veterans Student Organization.
• Academic advising/degree progress check-ins with each GI Bill student.
• Advises students with career planning and goals setting for degree program.
• Serves as main point of contact to VA officials who conducts audit of VA student records, conducts presentations on steps needed to receive VA education benefit certification, and enrollment and student records related matters.
• Serves as contact/liaison for the general public, students, and campus community for all inquiries.
• Conducts outreach and recruitment to the community colleges for prospective students.
• Maintains existing partnerships and creates new campus connections.
• Counsels/advises students on the STEM-related major application, qualifications, and implementation of their education benefits as well as the financial benefits and implications of receiving the STEM extension.
• Performs duties as VA Certifying Official in partnership with Office of the Registrar, Bursar’s Office, and Financial Aid & Scholarship Office to ensure timely and accurate processing of enrollment and benefit records with the VA.
• Debt reconciliation and adjustments between Bursars and VA (account management).
• Maintains accurate student records and files for VA auditing purposes and enrollment verification for GI Bill certifications.
• Uses or completes basic forms to keep the VA informed, such as: enrollment certification (VA Form 22-1999), Notice of Change in Student Status (VA Form 22-199b), and monitors the courses pursued by a student to certify to VA only those courses that apply the student’s program; attends mandated VA meetings.
• Stays abreast of government policies/regulations/federal mandates/ed codes.
• Attends professional development conferences on an annual basis to stay abreast of required policies/mandates/state regulations/federal requirements.
• Runs reports of students who are on academic probation and disqualified at SJSU. Data will be provided and reported to the VA every semester. This is a new requirement by the VA and it must be conducted every semester in order to stay compliant with the Colmery Act.
• Starting August 1st, students in STEM-related majors will be able to apply for an extension to their VA education benefits. With the implementation of the STEM extension of benefits, there will be required to process more VA education benefits certifications.
• Tracking of all GI Bill certifications conducted for all chapters (CH33, CH31, CH35, CH30, CH1606).

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Thorough knowledge of Veterans’ educational benefits; including Veterans, Active Duty, Reserves, National Guard and dependents.
• Familiarity with VA certification and military benefits.
• Comprehensive and detailed knowledge of the university infrastructure.
• Ability to quickly learn and apply a variety of county, state, federal, CSU, and SJSU policies and procedures.
• Ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures independently and use judgment and discretion to act when precedents do not exist.
• Strong written, verbal, and organizational skills and excellent customer service and public relations skills.
• Knowledge of core office software applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, databases, VA Once and Peoplesoft.
• Ability to perform accurately in a detail-oriented environment.
• Ability to handle multiple work priorities, organize and plan work and projects.
• Knowledge of GI bills, Federal, State, and County laws and guidelines related to veterans, military members, and their families.
• Ability to compose and appropriately format correspondence and reports.
• Knowledge of relevant governmental organizational structures such as the VA for the purpose of advocating and assisting veterans, military service members, and their dependents.
• Ability to work with a diverse student body and foster sensitivity to diverse issues in a university setting.
• Thorough mastery of English grammar, business writing, punctuation and spelling.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately handle sensitive communications with students, employees, and external agencies.
• Ability to collaborate with campus partners and work through complex issues pertaining to student data/records/financials/admissions.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to advise students individual and in groups on routing matters where required.
• Excellent customer service and public relations skills.
• Appropriate judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to reason logically and evaluate data.
• Ability to initiate, plan, implement, and evaluate events as well as ongoing programmatic efforts.
• Ability to communicate with constituents in a professional and respectful manner.

Required Qualifications

• Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university in a related field, including or supplemented by upper division or graduate coursework in counseling techniques, interviewing, and conflict resolution where such are job-related.
• Three years of progressively responsible professional student services work experience. A master’s degree in counseling, clinical psychology, social work, or a directly related field may be substituted for one year of experience. A doctorate degree and the appropriate internship or clinical training in counseling or guidance may be substituted for three years of experience for positions with a major responsibility for professional career or personal counseling.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in higher education, counseling, business management, human resources, or related field.
• 2 years working directly with veterans services in higher education.
• Experience planning major programs and events.
• Experience creating and delivering workshops.
• Experience managing student employees.
• 2 years of progressively responsible professional student veteran services work experience.
• 1-2 years processing GI Bill benefits.

Compensation

Classification: Student Services Professional III
Anticipated Hiring Range: $5,962/month - $6,259/month
CSU Salary Range: $5,540/month - $7,893/month

San José State University offers employees a comprehensive benefits package typically worth 30-35% of your base salary. For more information on programs available, please see the Employee Benefits Summary.

Application Procedure

Click Apply Now to complete the SJSU Online Employment Application and attach the following documents:

• Resume
• Letter of Interest

All applicants must apply within the specified application period: January 23, 2026 through February 8, 2026. This position is open until filled; however, applications received after screening has begun will be considered at the discretion of the university.

Contact Information

University Personnel
jobs@sjsu.edu
408-924-2252

CSU Vaccination Policy

The CSU strongly recommends that all individuals who access any in-person program or activity (on- or off-campus) operated or controlled by the University follow COVID-19 vaccine recommendations adopted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) applicable to their age, medical condition, and other relevant indications and comply with other safety measures established by each campus. The system wide policy can be found at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/9779821/latest/ and questions may be sent to jobs@sjsu.edu.

Additional Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. SJSU will issue a contingent offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was offered the position on a contingent basis.

The standard background check includes: criminal check, employment and education verification. Depending on the position, a motor vehicle and/or credit check may be required. All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate Background. Some positions may also require fingerprinting. SJSU will pay all costs associated with this procedure. Evidence of required degree(s) or certification(s) will be required at time of hire.

SJSU IS NOT A SPONSORING AGENCY FOR STAFF OR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS. (e.g. H1-B VISAS)

All San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment. Incumbent is also required to promptly report any knowledge of a possible Title IX related incident to the Title IX Office or report any discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation to the Office of Equal Opportunity.

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act and Campus Housing Fire Safety Notification: 

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the Annual Security Report (ASR) is also now available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Security-Report.pdf. The ASR contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and Sexual Assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains statistics of Clery crimes for San José State University locations for the three most recent calendar years. A paper copy of the ASR is available upon request by contacting the Office of the Clery Director by phone at 408-924-1501 or by email at clerycompliance@sjsu.edu.

Pursuant to the Higher Education Opportunity Act, the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR) is also available for viewing at https://www.sjsu.edu/clery/docs/SJSU-Annual-Fire-Safety-Report.pdf. The purpose of this report is to disclose statistics for fires that occurred within SJSU on-campus housing facilities for the three most recent calendar years, and to distribute fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on Campus. A paper copy of the AFSR is available upon request by contacting the Housing Office by phone at 408-795-5600 or by email at uhs-frontdesk@sjsu.edu.

Campus Security Authority - In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and CSU systemwide policy, this position is subject to ongoing review for designation as a Campus Security Authority. Individuals that are designated as Campus Security Authorities are required to immediately report Clery incidents to the institution and complete Clery Act training as determined by the university Clery Director.

Equal Employment Statement

San José State University is an equal opportunity employer. The university prohibits discrimination based on age, ancestry, caste, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military status, nationality, race, religion, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, sex stereotype, and veteran status. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff, as well as university programs and activities. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and certain other federal and state laws, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in all education programs and activities operated by the university (both on and off campus). Reasonable accommodation is made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.