Customer Advocate, Customer Contact

National Grid; Northborough (MA); Hybrid; USD 76,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

National Grid is hiring a Customer Advocate for our Northborough, MA office in a hybrid role requiring commuting by car. You will work with National Grid's most vulnerable customers and external partners to increase awareness of and enrollment in energy assistance programs, helping manage monthly energy costs.

You’ll travel across Massachusetts to community events, collaborate with support agencies, and represent National Grid at outreach events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 3+ years of related experience in customer advocacy, customer service, or a similar support-focused role.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and at least one other language is a plus but not required.
• Must have valid driver’s license.
• Experience with PowerBi, reporting and customer management systems is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated success in a customer service environment, ideally with experience supporting low-income or vulnerable populations.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one support to customers, assisting with billing inquiries, payment options, negotiated payment agreements, LIHEAP applications, outage preparedness, protections certification, and energy efficiency resources.
• Travel regularly via personal vehicle across Massachusetts to community events hosted in socioeconomically challenged areas, partner agency offices and National Grid facilities.
• Represent National Grid at community outreach events, including Customer Care events and other forums attended by income-eligible customers.
• Ensure all work adheres to National Grid policies, processes, and procedures, while maintaining compliance with applicable legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Identify and activate new community-based and external engagement channels to increase awareness of and participation in National Grid programs for income-eligible customers.
• Manage and prioritize customer referrals from multiple sources—including email, vendors, call centers, field teams, and internal partners, in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams and external partners to share information on social care programs, emerging opportunities, and customer support services, while offering informed guidance and technical expertise.
• Establish trusted relationships with community agencies and advocacy organizations, serving as their primary point of contact and “go-to” resource for National Grid programs, policies, and referrals.
• Capture insights from customer interactions and community engagement to represent the voice of income-eligible customers and inform the design and evolution of National Grid programs and offerings.
• Continuously build technical and professional expertise in customer advocacy to enhance personal impact and contribution to the business.
• Leverage peer networks to share best practices and apply emerging knowledge within the customer experience space.

Job description

About Us

National Grid is hiring a Customer Advocate, for our Northborough, MA office. This is a Hybrid Role and driving is required. Must live within a commutable distance to one of our offices. Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us the most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live.

About Us

National Grid is hiring a Customer Advocate, for our Northborough, MA office. This is a Hybrid Role and driving is required. Must live within a commutable distance to one of our offices. Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us the most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live. The pace of change in society and our industry is accelerating and our expertise and track record puts us in an unparalleled position to shape the sustainable future of our industry. To be successful we must anticipate the needs of our customers, reducing the cost of energy delivery today and pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This requires us to deliver on our promises and always look for new opportunities to grow, both ourselves and our business.

Job Purpose

As a Customer Advocate, you will work directly with National Grid’s most vulnerable customers, as well as the external support agencies and advocacy organizations that serve them. Your mission is to improve customers’ quality of life by increasing awareness of and enrollment in the tools and programs National Grid offers to help income-eligible customers manage the affordability and volatility of their monthly energy costs. In this role, you will also act as an internal voice for these customers, ensuring their perspectives, needs, and lived experiences are represented within National Grid. By doing so, you will help inform the development of strategies, programs, and offerings designed to more effectively support income‑eligible customers and strengthen the company’s commitment to equitable service.

Key Accountabilities

• Provide one‑on‑one support to customers, assisting with billing inquiries, payment options, negotiated payment agreements, LIHEAP applications, outage preparedness, protections certification, and energy efficiency resources.


• Travel regularly via personal vehicle across Massachusetts to community events hosted in socioeconomically challenged areas, partner agency offices and National Grid facilities.


• Represent National Grid at community outreach events, including Customer Care evets and other forums attended by income‑eligible customers.


• Ensure all work adheres to National Grid policies, processes, and procedures, while maintaining compliance with applicable legislation and regulatory requirements.


• Identify and activate new community‑based and external engagement channels to increase awareness of and participation in National Grid programs for income‑eligible customers.


• Manage and prioritize customer referrals from multiple sources—including email, vendors, call centers, field teams, and internal partners,in accordance with established policies and procedures.


• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams and external partners to share information on social care programs, emerging opportunities, and customer support services, while offering informed guidance and technical expertise.


• Establish trusted relationships with community agencies and advocacy organizations, serving as their primary point of contact and “go‑to” resource for National Grid programs, policies, and referrals.


• Capture insights from customer interactions and community engagement to represent the voice of income‑eligible customers and inform the design and evolution of National Grid programs and offerings.


• Continuously build technical and professional expertise in customer advocacy to enhance personal impact and contribution to the business.


• Leverage peer networks to share best practices and apply emerging knowledge within the customer experience space.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 3+ years of related experience in customer advocacy, customer service, or a similar support‑focused role is highly preferred.


• Bilingual proficiency in English and at least one other language is a plus but not required.


• Must have valid driver’s license


• Experience with PowerBi, Reporting and Customer Management Systems is highly preferred


• Demonstrated success in a customer service environment, ideally with experience supporting low‑income or vulnerable populations.


• Understanding of fundamental low‑income energy assistance and affordability program concepts is strongly preferred.


• Knowledge of, or the ability to quickly learn, National Grid customer information systems, including customer account management, billing and financial structures, energy management systems, and document management tools (e.g., CSS or similar platforms).


• Familiarity with, or the ability to rapidly develop expertise in, social service and assistance programs available to income‑eligible customers, with a proven ability to explain complex program options clearly to diverse audiences.


• Understanding of National Grid’s business operations, policies, and practices, or the demonstrated ability to acquire this knowledge efficiently.


• Knowledge of relevant industry practices, regulations, and compliance requirements.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access.

Capability Requirements

• Attention to Detail: Consistently monitors service quality, follows established procedures, and ensures customer support activities meet organizational standards and compliance requirements.


• Customer Orientation: Takes personal accountability for resolving customer issues promptly and ensures customer expectations are communicated, monitored, and met—particularly for those most in need.

Salary

$76,000 - $89,000 a year

National Grid utilizes an assessment that evaluates the job qualifications/characteristics using AI or statistically based scoring. For more information, please view NYC Local Law 144.

This position has a career path which provides for advancement opportunities within and across bands as you develop and evolve in the position; gaining experience, expertise and acquiring and applying technical skills. Candidates will be assessed and provided offers against the minimum qualifications of this role and their individual experience.

National Grid is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of protected class. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. National Grid maintains affirmative action programs for individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Our employment practices are designed to ensure that all individuals are treated fairly and with respect throughout the hiring process and during employment. National Grid complies with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, and we encourage a culture of respect for all.