Senior Contact Center Representative

Skill Demand; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused energy organization is looking for a Senior Contact Center Representative to support residential energy efficiency incentive programs. This hybrid role demands 5+ years of experience in contact centers, excellent communication skills, and the capacity to handle escalations professionally. The position involves guiding customers through program eligibility, maintaining detailed CRM documentation, and contributing to team development. If you thrive in fast-paced environments and value customer service, this role may be for you.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a call or contact center environment.
• Experience handling escalations, complex inquiries, and policy interpretation.
• Strong understanding of residential energy efficiency measures.

Responsibilities

• Provide accurate guidance on incentive eligibility and program policies.
• Handle complex, sensitive customer cases with professionalism.
• Maintain CRM documentation accurately.

Skills

Communication skills

Escalation management

Organizational skills

Technical fluency

Policy interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree (preferred)

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Location: Portland Metro Area (Hybrid Remote & In-Person Position)

Who We Are

Skill Demand Energy is a culturally diverse organization focused on expanding access to energy efficiency solutions that reduce household energy burden and strengthen communities. We work at the intersection of technical expertise, public-benefit programs, and community-based delivery-supporting both individuals and organizations in navigating energy incentives, program requirements, and long-term sustainability.

Our work is grounded in partnership, accountability, and continuous improvement. We believe effective energy programs are built through clear expectations, strong relationships, and respect for the lived experiences of the communities we serve. We are a growing, collaborative team that values initiative, adaptability, and thoughtful problem-solving, and we encourage candidates who are motivated by impact and learning to apply.

Skill Demand Energy is deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We strive to build a workplace and programs that reflect the communities we serve, center equity in decision-making, and create inclusive systems where all people have access to opportunity, support, and success.

Position Overview

Skill Demand Energy is seeking a Senior Contact Center Representative to support the delivery of residential energy efficiency incentive programs administered through Energy Trust of Oregon. These programs help homeowners and renters reduce energy costs by providing financial incentives for improvements such as heating and cooling upgrades, insulation and weatherization, water heating systems, smart thermostats, and other qualifying home improvements. The Contact Center serves as the primary point of contact for customers, contractors, and community partners seeking information on eligibility, application requirements, documentation, and timelines.

The Senior Contact Center Representative plays a critical role in ensuring all information is accurate, consistent, and technically sound. This position serves as a skilled researcher and multitasker, supporting complex customer inquiries, resolving escalations, and helping maintain high standards for documentation, compliance, and service delivery. In addition to direct customer support, this role contributes to operational improvement, peer coaching, and process development to ensure the team can effectively manage evolving program requirements while delivering a clear, professional, and equitable customer experience.

Why This Role Exists

• Provide accurate and consistent information on incentive qualifications
• Resolve escalated cases efficiently and professionally
• Maintains detailed notes that meet company standards.
• Support internal staff development and operational excellence

This role strengthens the team’s ability to deliver high-quality service, manage complexity effectively, and ensure customers receive accurate information the first time.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert on residential Energy Trust of Oregon energy efficiency programs and incentives, such as HVAC, weatherization, water heating, smart thermostats, windows, and home energy assessments
• Provide accurate guidance on incentive eligibility, timelines, documentation requirements, and program policies
• Handle complex, sensitive, or escalated customer cases with professionalism and sound judgment
• Research customers questions and determine when escalation to management is necessary
• Maintain clear, accurate, and thorough CRM documentation
• Process residential incentive applications and related documentation in accordance with program requirements

Operational Support & Team Leadership

• Serve as backup to the Team Lead in supporting daily operations, including queue triage, task prioritization, and schedule adherence
• Provide peer coaching based on quality assurance feedback and identified performance trends
• Support onboarding, training refreshers, and rollout of procedural updates
• Partner with leadership on workflow improvements, template updates, and process refinements
• Support testing and implementation of new systems, policies, or program changes

Performance & Accountability

• Maintain high standards for service levels, response times, and documentation accuracy
• Contribute to quality assurance initiatives and continuous improvement efforts
• Model professionalism, reliability, and accountability in a metric-driven environment
• Identify recurring customer issues or process gaps and recommend practical solutions

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a call or contact center environment
• Demonstrated experience handling escalations, complex inquiries, and policy interpretation
• Strong understanding of residential energy efficiency measures or comparable technical programs
• Experience meeting service-level, productivity, and quality goals
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience using CRM systems and Microsoft Office Suite

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting utility or public-benefit energy programs, or have experience with incentive programs
• Experience coaching or mentoring peers in a contact center environment
• Familiarity with Energy Trust of Oregon programs
• Experience developing training materials
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, though relevant experience is valued equally

Core Competencies

• Clear, accurate, and confident communication
• Technical fluency and policy interpretation skills
• Sound judgment in escalation management
• Strong organizational and documentation skills
• Ability to lead constructively without formal supervisory authority
• Commitment to equity-centered and customer-focused service

What This Role Is — and Is Not

This role IS:

• A position that requires strong organizing and customer service skills
• Focused on accuracy, accountability, and process improvement
• A leadership position within the Contact Center structure

This role is NOT:

• A purely administrative processing role
• Limited to answering basic inquiries
• A supervisory management position

Success in This Role Looks Like

• Escalations are resolved efficiently and professionally
• Fewer repeat errors or documentation issues
• Improved team confidence in technical and policy interpretation
• Consistent adherence to service levels and quality standardsClear, well-maintained procedures and knowledge resources

Work Structure

Hybrid Schedule

• Monday & Friday – Remote
• Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday – In Office (Downtown Portland, OR)

Standard Schedule

• 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM PST, with a 1-hour lunch break

Why This Role Matters

• Provide accurate and equitable customer support
• Use public and ratepayer funds responsibly
• Maintain operational integrity and compliance
• Deliver consistent, high-quality customer experiences

How to Apply

A cover letter or statement of interest is required. We want to know…

• Why Energy Trust of Oregon’s work is important to you
• How your experience prepares you to lead, coach, and support a high-volume, high-accuracy contact center
• An example of a complex escalation OR technical question you handled, and how you researched and resolved it.