NYC Sustainability Help Center Associate

RFCUNY Research Foundation of the City University of New York; New York (NY); On-site; USD 62,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) invites applications for a Help Center Associate. The role focuses on direct technical assistance to building owners, guiding data collection for energy compliance, and coordinating utilities to obtain energy use data.

As part of the Sustainability Help Center, you will support communications, develop training materials, and maintain documentation while helping with intern supervision. Immediate start is available.

Qualifications

• At least two years of full-time professional experience in customer service, program operations, or sustainability consulting.
• Demonstrated knowledge of NYC energy and water benchmarking laws and building sustainability policies.
• Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability/Environmental Studies, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Environmental Engineering, Business Management, or related field.
• Proficiency with EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and standard productivity suites (Google Workspace/Microsoft 365).
• Prior experience in project management, client relations, data analysis, or marketing is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Respond promptly and professionally to building owner inquiries via phone and email
• Provide targeted referrals, technical guidance and best practices in utility data collection to support local law compliance
• Coordinate with utilities (e.g., Con Edison, National Grid, NYC DEP) to streamline processes for obtaining whole-building energy consumption data
• Analyze compliance data to identify submission errors and corresponding resolutions
• Assist with the maintenance, testing, and updating of internal data collection, tracking, and reporting tools
• Support marketing, community outreach, development of training materials, and delivery of training sessions related to NYC energy laws
• Maintain program documentation, recordkeeping, and FAQs to support building owners seeking compliance
• Assist in hiring and supervising student interns
• Other duties as assigned
• Communications: The Help Center Associate will also support communications initiatives for the Sustainability Help Center and CUNY Building Performance Lab, including drafting newsletter publications, managing social media messaging, maintaining website content, and preparing marketing and educational materials.

Skills

Customer service

Energy benchmarking laws

Portfolio Manager familiarity

Data analysis

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Google Workspace

Microsoft 365

EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager

Job description

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY). The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries. We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.

Primary Location: The CITY COLLEGE of NEW YORK Bargaining Unit: No

In partnership with the New York City Department of Buildings, the CUNY Building Performance Lab operates the NYC Sustainability Help Center to support the real estate community in complying with NYC local energy and sustainability laws, including Local Law 84 (benchmarking), Local Law 87 (energy audits and retro-commissioning), Local Law 33 (energy efficiency letter grades), and Local Law 97 (carbon emissions limits). The Help Center provides live customer assistance to building owners and property managers to achieve compliance, improve data quality, and drive energy efficiency improvements across NYC buildings. For more information, visit our website HERE.

The Help Center Associate works as part of a dedicated team providing direct technical assistance and customer service to building owners complying with NYC sustainability regulations, requesting utility data, and navigating ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®. This is a full-time position with immediate availability.

Detailed Responsibilities

• Respond promptly and professionally to building owner inquiries via phone and email
• Provide targeted referrals, technical guidance and best practices in utility data collection to support local law compliance
• Coordinate with utilities (e.g., Con Edison, National Grid, NYC DEP) to streamline processes for obtaining whole-building energy consumption data
• Analyze compliance data to identify submission errors and corresponding resolutions
• Assist with the maintenance, testing, and updating of internal data collection, tracking, and reporting tools
• Support marketing, community outreach, development of training materials, and delivery of training sessions related to NYC energy laws
• Maintain program documentation, recordkeeping, and FAQs to support building owners seeking compliance
• Assist in hiring and supervising student interns
• Other duties as assigned

Communications: The Help Center Associate will also support communications initiatives for the Sustainability Help Center and CUNY Building Performance Lab, including drafting newsletter publications, managing social media messaging, maintaining website content, and preparing marketing and educational materials.

Requirements

• At least two years of full-time professional experience in customer service, program operations, or sustainability consulting
• Demonstrated knowledge of NYC energy and water benchmarking laws and building sustainability policies
• Bachelor's degree in Sustainability/Environmental Studies, Public Policy, Urban Planning, Environmental Engineering, Business Management, or a related field.
• Proficiency with EPA ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® and standard productivity suites (Google Workspace/Microsoft 365)
• Prior experience in project management, client relations, data analysis, or marketing is preferred

Pay Range: $62,000 - $72,000 annualized; $34.07 - $39.56 per hour

RFCUNY Benefits RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.