Program Participation Specialist

Focus on Energy; Madison, Northern (WI, KY); Hybrid; USD 33,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

APTIM’s Energy Transition team seeks a proactive Program Participation Specialist to guide customers through Home Energy Rebate program eligibility and enrolment. You will deliver concierge-level support, helping customers, contractors, and program implementers understand requirements and next steps.

The role emphasizes empathetic communication, quality customer experiences, and collaboration to ensure engagement and efficient operations. OSHA compliance is required.

Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• 2+ years of customer service, inside sales, or client success experience.
• Strong communication skills, including active listening and the ability to explain complex processes clearly.
• Professionalism, empathy, and focus on positive customer experience; adaptable under pressure.
• Excellent critical thinking with ability to analyze situations and propose solutions.
• Self-starter with time management and ability to prioritize multiple tasks.
• High emotional intelligence and ability to work with diverse teams.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint.
• Availability to work Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm CT.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary contact for program participation inquiries.
• Provide step-by-step guidance on eligibility, enrolment, and next steps with minimal hand-offs.
• Ensure equitable access for customers with varying computer proficiency.
• Maintain accurate records of interactions in Zendesk and CRMs.
• Build relationships with colleagues, program implementers, and external stakeholders.
• Comply with APTIM, client policies and OSHA regulations.
• QA/QC program processes and suggest improvements.
• Support office operations including light tech support and events.
• Perform other duties to support program and team success.
• Ensure compliance with safety policies and OSHA regulations.

Skills

Customer service

Effective communication

Empathy

Critical thinking

Time management

Team collaboration

Microsoft Office

Active listening

Patience

Education

Associate or bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Zendesk

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

APTIM’s Energy Transition team is seeking a proactive and experienced Program Participation Specialist to join our Focus on Energy IRA Home Energy Rebate programs, which are part of Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy offerings. This position is primarily responsible for delivering high-quality inbound customer support with an emphasis on guiding customers step-by-step through energy efficiency program eligibility, enrolment, and participation. Unlike traditional customer service roles, this position provides a deeper level of consultative support, ensuring customers understand how to get started and stay engaged in Home Energy Rebate programs. This role involves direct engagement with customers, contractors, and Program Implementers, and reports to the Administrative Manager.

Focus on Energy is Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable energy program, serving 107 utilities and supporting nearly 200,000 utility customers annually. APTIM has served as Program Administrator since 2011, helping delivery measurable energy savings and high-quality customer support.

APTIM’s Energy Transition team is a recognized leader in the marketplace. Our energy experts deliver highly innovative projects and complex client solutions, providing the full breadth of solutions including energy efficiency, energy management, carbon management, smart energy infrastructure, and distributed energy resources (DER). Our consultants proactively collaborate with clients to define and implement strategies and programs around key business drivers, with the primary focus of finding and delivering high-impact outcomes that exceed expectations and meet the unique needs of our government, utility and commercial clients.

The Program Participation Specialist will provide concierge-level support to customers interested in Home Energy Rebate programs, helping them understand requirements, next steps, and available resources. This position acts as a trusted liaison between customers and the program, ensuring calls are not just answered but transformed into clear, actionable steps toward participation. In addition, this position is responsible for supporting office operations and team needs to maintain an efficient work environment. The successful candidate will be empathetic, communicative, and motivated to deliver a high-quality experience that leads to both customer engagement and team satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities:

• Serve as the primary contact for program participation inquiries.
• Assess customer needs to identify the most relevant program offerings, and provide personalized, step-by-step guidance on eligibility, enrolment, and next steps, resolving questions and ensuring minimal hand-offs.
• Work with customers of all backgrounds and varying computer proficiency levels to ensure equitable access to program participation.
• Maintain accurate records of interactions and follow-ups within Zendesk and other CRM tools.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with internal colleagues, program implementer staff, and external stakeholders to support effective communication and collaboration.
• Ensure compliance with all APTIM and client quality and safety policies as well as all OSHA regulations.
• Conduct QA/QC of Program processes and protocols, offering design improvements, analysis, and recommendations.
• Support office operations by coordinating with building management on maintenance and access needs, managing supplies, overseeing shipping and mail processes, providing light tech support to staff and visitors, and assisting with onsite events and meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support program and team success.
• Ensure compliance with all APTIM quality and safety policies as well as all OSHA regulations.

Basic Qualifications:

• Associate or bachelor’s degree from an accredited two or four-year college or university or equivalent work experience.
• 2+ years of customer service, inside sales, or client success experience.
• Strong communication skills, including active listening and the ability to explain complex processes clearly and guide customers with patience in both verbal and written interactions.
• Demonstrated professionalism, empathy, and a focus on providing a positive customer experience; adaptable under pressure .
• Excellent critical thinking skills with ability to analyze situations, identify existing or potential problems and recommend solutions.
• Self-starter with the ability to manage time and prioritize projects within established deadlines and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• High level of emotional intelligence and ability to work effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Commitment to fostering a collaborative work environment within the team and the broader organization.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office software – Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Availability to work Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm CT.

Desired/Preferred Qualifications:

• 1+ years’ experience in the energy efficiency industry preferred.
• Knowledge of whole-home energy efficiency, HVAC, or sustainability concepts; BPI training preferred (certification not required).
• Familiarity with Zendesk or similar customer service platforms.
• Multilingual skills a plus.

About APTIM:

APTIM enhances the quality of the environment, wellbeing of people, resilience of communities, and opportunity for employees to make a difference, not just a living. A leading professional solutions firm, we specialize in environmental, sustainability, resilience, and infrastructure solutions. Our team of experts provide these integrated solutions for forward-thinking government agencies, commercial and industrial clients, and energy customers. Together, we create sustainable and resilient communities for all.

What you can expect from APTIM:

• Work that is worthy of your time and talent
• Respect and flexibility to live a full life at work and at home
• Dogged determination to deliver for our clients and communities
• A voice in making our company better
• Investment into your personal and professional development

As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay range for this position is $24.00 to $27.00 per hour. Compensation depends on several factors including: experience, education, key skills, geographic location of the position, client requirements, external market competitiveness, and internal equity among other employees within APTIM.

Employee Benefits

APTIM Environmental & Infrastructure, LLCis committed to providing an extensive range of benefits that protect and promote the health and financial well-being of our employees and their families through the APTIM Benefits Marketplace https://aptim.makeityoursource.com/ .

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance: Through the marketplace, our employees can choose benefits from five metallic levels and several carriers to find the right benefits that work for them in their location.
• Company paid and optional Life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity coverage
• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave (eligibility based on company policy and applicable law)
• 401(k) APTIM offers three 401k plans through the Aon Pooled Employer Plan (PEP). The specific plan you are eligible for depends on the business unit you are in. The details of the largest plan are found here:

APTIM is a place where our people make a difference, not just a living.