Business Excellence Partner in Schaumburg, Illinois at Wheels, Inc.

Wheels is looking for a Business Excellence Partner who is energized by solving messy operational problems, driving measurable business changes and helping teams work smarter.

This is not a traditional project coordination or process documentation role. The Business Excellence Partner is expected to identify operational pain points, quantify their business impact, design practical solutions, and drive implementation through measurable results. Success in this role means reducing manual work, improving cycle time, increasing quality, strengthening customer experience, and helping the business scale without simply adding headcount.

The ideal candidate is smart, curious, analytical, and hungry to make an impact. They are comfortable working directly with frontline teams, functional leaders, IT, Product, Analytics, and other partners to understand how work gets done and then improve it. They do not wait for perfect direction. They can take an ambiguous business problem, structure it, build a solution path, influence others, and prove the value delivered.

This role sits within the Business Excellence organization and will partner with business leaders across operational, client-facing, and support functions. The role will use structured problem solving, Lean thinking, data analysis, workflow redesign, automation, and performance measurement to deliver practical, sustainable improvements.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Identify and Prioritize High-Value Business Problems:

• Partners with business leaders and frontline teams to uncover repeatable operational pain points, manual work, rework, delays, quality issues, customer friction, and process breakdowns
• Translate business frustration into clear problem statements, root-cause hypotheses, value estimates, and improvement opportunities
• Quantify the impact of problems using metrics such as cycle time, cost, quality, rework, capacity, customer experience, and employee effort
• Help leaders prioritize improvement work based on business value, urgency, feasibility, and strategic importance
• Build and manage a practical improvement roadmap for assigned business areas

Design and Implement Practical Solutions:

• Redesign workflows, handoffs, decision points, controls, and operating routines to improve performance
• Develop practical solutions that may include process changes, reporting enhancements, automation, system improvements, role clarity, or new ways of working
• Partner with Analytics, Technical Implementation, IT, Product, and operational teams to translate business needs into workable solutions
• Support the development of business requirements, user stories, process maps, test plans, adoption plans, and implementation materials
• Validate solutions through pilots, testing, feedback loops, and performance tracking

Drive Measurable Business Results:

• Own the delivery of measurable outcomes, not just the completion of project tasks
• Establish baseline performance, define target outcomes, and track results after implementation
• Measure impact across areas such as productivity, quality, cost reduction, cycle time, customer satisfaction, compliance, and scalability
• Create visibility to progress, risks, decisions, and realized value for business leaders
• Ensure improvements are adopted, sustained, and embedded into the way teams work

Lead Change Across the Business:

• Build trust with frontline employees, managers, directors, and executives by listening carefully and solving real business problems
• Facilitate working sessions, process reviews, Kaizen-style events, and structured problem-solving discussions
• Influence stakeholders across functions to align on decisions, remove barriers, and adopt new processes
• Communicate recommendations clearly using data, business logic, and practical implementation plans
• Help create a culture where teams continuously identify, solve, and measure improvement opportunities

Use Data, Tools, and Technology to Improve Work:

• Use data to diagnose performance issues, identify trends, and size improvement opportunities
• Partner with technical teams to implement automation, analytics, and workflow solutions where appropriate
• Leverage tools such as Excel, Power BI, Alteryx, Power Automate, Salesforce, AI tools, or similar platforms to improve how work gets done
• Identify opportunities to reduce spreadsheet dependency, manual rekeying, email-based work management, and inconsistent process execution
• Help business teams use metrics and dashboards to manage performance more effectively

What Success Looks Like

A successful Business Excellence Partner will be able to say:

• I found a business problem that was costing time, money, quality, or customer experience
• I quantified the impact and built alignment around solving it
• I helped design and implement a practical solution
• I got the business to adopt the change
• I measured the result and proved the value

This role will be evaluated on delivered business outcomes, including improvements in efficiency, quality, cost, cycle time, customer experience, employee capacity, and operational scalability.

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

• This position has no people leader responsibilities

COMPETENCIES - SKILLS

• Proven track record of leading enterprise-wide Lean/CI programs with measurable impact in matrixed organizations
• Deep knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving techniques
• Demonstrated success facilitating Kaizen events and building engagement across levels of the organization
• Hands-on experience with Salesforce, ServiceNow, or similar enterprise platforms is a plus
• Strong business acumen, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, Visio, and project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, or similar)

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, Supply Chain, Operations or related field required; advanced degree is a plus
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification
• 3+ years of experience in process improvement, business transformation, or operational optimization within complex service or transactional environments

CORE VALUES

At Wheels, we believe in fostering a culture that is built on our Core Values and Guiding Principles. We cultivate a culture of excellence and innovation by upholding these values, driving our collective success and growth.

• Integrity – Always act with integrity and honesty.
• One Team – Treat others with dignity and respect; act as a cohesive, inclusive and accountable team that is making a difference.
• Innovation – Drive continuous improvement, spark creativity and embrace next generation thinking.
• Customer Success – Ensure that customer and driver success is at the heart of everything we do.

CULTURAL ATTRIBUTES

At Wheels, our culture guides us how we work every day, and we look for team members who show these behaviors:

• Discipline Drives Quality – Plan the Trip: Think proactively, hold a high bar, follow through by leveraging experience and systems. To produce quality outcomes, we must be intentional and deliberate in everything we do, from big bets to daily execution.
• Intellectually Curious – Fuel Your Minds: Be bold, challenge assumptions, think differently, look outside the box. Strive to unlock your own thinking and create new possibilities.
• Commit and Deliver – Own It: Take responsibility for your work, from start to finish, and be accountable for the results. Think and act like an owner of the business.
• Relationships Matter – Share the Ride: Trust is central, both with key internal and external stakeholders. Relationships are not a side effect of work but a driver of success.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS, PHYSICAL DEMANDS and WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work Environment: This position is in Schaumburg, Ill and operates in a professional office environment.
• Positions Type/Standard Schedule: This is a full-time, hybrid position (3 days in office - Wednesday is required in office), Monday and Friday
• Travel: No Travel required for this position
• Physical Demands: Speak, hear, and see, and to use hand and fingers for computer keyboard and phone. Sit or stand for extended periods of time. Reach above head to pull paper attachments.

DISCLAIMER

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Wheels recognizes benefits are a significant part of your employee experience, and we've created a robust benefits package that is market-leading, competitive offerings so you and your family can receive outstanding care. Please click here for an overview of the benefits available to you and your family.

Pay Range:

The base salary range for this position is listed above. This position is eligible to participate in the annual incentive plan which is based on company performance and individual performance. Compensation ranges are based on several factors including job function, level, and geographic location. Final offer amounts are determined by multiple factors including candidate experience, education, certifications, skill level and expertise, and may vary from the amounts listed here.

As one of the largest fleet management companies in North America, Wheels features a portfolio of 900,000+ vehicles under management across the continent, a global alliance in 61 countries, and a client base that consists of some of the best-known businesses in the world. No matter the industry type or business size, we’re proud to work across sales and service fleets, trucks and equipment, and last mile delivery to ensure we power your potential.

The culture at Wheels is the secret to our 80+ years of success. And the reason people choose to join — and stay with — our team.

When you join the team, you'll work with professionals who are passionate, friendly and smart. We foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all, combined with the encouragement to continuously learn and grow. From day one, we invest in your long-term development through annual performance goals and reviews, educational and wellness programs, awards and celebrations, and more.

Ready to experience the Wheels culture for yourself?

• 10 years average employee tenure

• 10 times recognized as one of Chicago's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For

• 50+ health, wellness and engagement benefits

• 2,500+ online learning programs

Diversity: Wheels deeply values the strength of diversity both in the communities we serve and our own employee base. This includes treating everyone as equal, respecting and valuing diversity, providing equal opportunity and fostering a safe space to work.

Community: We are heavily involved in the communities where we operate. We offer opportunities for employees to make a positive impact through mentorship and tutoring elementary school students, participating in blood drives, donating to United Way and other charitable organizations in the greater Chicagoland and Toronto areas.

Sustainability: Wheels is actively committed to becoming a cleaner fleet management company through recycling programs, public transportation support and more.

We Are Dedicated to the Safety and Health of our Employees

Our employees are critical to delivering on our commitment to client success, which is why we offer a variety of programs focused on the health and wellness of our people.

We hire people who have a customer-focused mindset and a strong collaborative nature. Because at Wheels, customer service and teamwork don't just happen in the office. It is during the informal moments when employee trust is strengthened and friendships are made. We value these moments, which is why we host departmental contests, summer gatherings, family events, holiday celebrations and more.

At Wheels, your well-being is our priority. As part of our commitment to your health and well-being, we’re proud to offer access to the Advocate Health Care Wellness Portal—a personalized platform designed to help you take charge of your health journey.

The 2026 Wellness Program is designed to support you in achieving your personal health goals. Best of all, it’s flexible and fits into your busy lifestyle.

This program is designed to support your overall well-being—physically, emotionally, and financially—by providing tools and incentives that encourage healthy living.