Operations Specialist - Military/Veterans: Bursar - UTK

This role will create Master list of all veteran and dependent benefit certifications each semester, directly assists veteran students and their dependents through activities such as advising on educational benefit programs, discussing key aspects of the benefit process, researches and troubleshoots issues that prohibit or affect certification. Other operational duties include reviewing data entered through the Enrollment Manager data system to verify benefit confirmation for VA payment. Verify electronic certifications and changes, as required. Data certified for each veteran includes, but not limited to registration, number of credits, program of study, and completed courses, maintaining master list updating it daily with new certifications and marking once verifications have been completed, editing benefits that are incorrect or have been changed, advising students on the VA contract process for VA Educational Benefits, compiling ad-hoc VA requests to follow up verification of veterans throughout the academic year, and providing general information to students, faculty and staff about VA education benefits and TN Strong Act benefits.

• Directly assists veteran students and their dependents through activities such as advising on educational benefit programs, discussing key aspects of the benefit process, researches and troubleshoots issues that prohibit or affect certification.
• Review data entered through the Enrollment Manager data system to verify benefit confirmation for VA payment. Verify electronic certifications and changes, as required. 
• Maintain master list updating it daily with new certifications and marking once verifications have been completed. Edit benefits that are incorrect or have been changed.
• Advise students on the VA contract process for VA Educational Benefits.
• Complies with ad-hoc VA requests to follow up verification of veterans throughout the academic year. 
• Provide general information to students, faculty and staff about VA education benefits and TN Strong Act benefits.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Associate degree
• Experience:
  • One year of related work experience, to include experience such as with financial data, collections, cashiering, explaining policies and procedures, and customer service.  
  •  Knowledge of veteran programs and procedures. Familiarity with 3rd party billing, VA refunding, and accounting/auditing/reconciliation principles and practices  
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 
  • Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and procedures.
  • Knowledge of rules for customer communications or telemarketing.
  • Accurate data entry, calculation and financial analysis skills.
  • Ability to identify and solve reconciliation information/issues.
  • Excellent negotiation skills. 
  • Should have strong people skills and possess experience in diffusing potentially volatile situations, handling frustrated customers and appropriately resolving their conflicts.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Associate's Degree
• Experience: 
  • Previous experience working with Veteran populations.
  • Experience multitasking in a busy deadline driven office.
  • Experience in higher education. 
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Possess the ability to interpret complex financial data and apply institutional, State, and Federal Procedures and regulations.  Other qualities needed for this position include the ability to multi-task, be detail-oriented, work well under pressure (must meet deadlines), honesty, dependability and maintain confidentiality as required by FERPA regulations.

Work Location: University of Tennessee Knoxville. This position is in-person.  

Compensation and Benefits: 

• UT market range: MR06
• Anticipated hiring range: $19.50
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions:

• Resume
• Cover Letter (optional)

About The College/Department/Division: The Office of the Bursar specializes in managing student accounts, assesses tuition and fees, provides billing statements, refunding, and processing payments. Our goal is to aide students in understanding their student-related charges while also providing guidance about payment options available to them.

We aim to provide the best student centric service so that students are prepared for success on their collegiate journey. We also provide banking services for university departments. 

The Finance & Administration Division has fiduciary and leadership responsibility for the Knoxville campus in three primary areas of accountability: fiscal, physical, and auxiliary operations.  Our goal is to provide quality support in the institution’s pursuit of excellence through effective stewardship and enhancement of the University’s resources. The strategies to achieve the goal of quality support of the instruction, research and public service functions include implementation of best operations practices, recommendation of efficient and cost-effective policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, focusing on internal and external customer needs, and the provision of a safe and productive physical environment.