Lead Business Process Engineer - Transformation & Corporate Operations

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:
Grade: Professional 312

Pay Range: $109,900.00 - $170,400.00

Job Description

Shape the Future of How WGU Operates

As a Lead Business Process Engineer, you will play a critical role in designing and transforming the business processes that power Western Governors University’s growth, innovation, and student-centered mission. You will lead the discovery, analysis, design, and implementation of enterprise-wide processes that improve operational effectiveness, elevate service delivery, and support sustainable scale across the university.

In this role, you will take a holistic view of how work flows across teams, systems, and functions, identifying opportunities to simplify complexity, increase efficiency, and align processes with WGU’s strategic objectives. You will drive continuous improvement initiatives, recommend innovative people, process, and technology solutions, and help ensure seamless integration between upstream and downstream operations.

Working closely with leaders and stakeholders across Program and Project Management, Finance, Institutional Analytics & Research, business process owners, and WGU’s Education Technology teams, you will lead the redesign and optimization of existing processes while helping create entirely new capabilities that advance the university’s mission. As a trusted partner in major transformation efforts, you will be directly involved in some of WGU’s most significant strategic initiatives, helping deliver meaningful outcomes for students, employees, and the institution as a whole.

*This is an in-office position working at our Corporate Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

What You'll Do

- Define and execute the university's business process improvement strategy, ensuring alignment with institutional goals, growth objectives, and operational priorities.
- Lead the optimization and transformation of complex, end-to-end business processes that span multiple functions, departments, and business units.
- Drive organizational change by guiding stakeholders through process transformation initiatives and fostering adoption of new ways of working.
- Partner with senior leaders, business stakeholders, Finance, Product teams, and technology partners to align process strategies with enterprise priorities and desired outcomes.
- Establish and maintain enterprise business process architecture, including process frameworks, dependencies, governance models, and cross-functional relationships.
- Apply Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies to analyze, redesign, and implement scalable, efficient processes across university operations.
- Serve as the university's subject matter expert in process optimization methodologies, providing leadership, coaching, and training to project teams and business partners.
- Lead detailed process analysis efforts using qualitative and quantitative data to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, service levels, and cost effectiveness.
- Develop process performance frameworks, including key performance indicators (KPIs), measurement plans, and operational reporting that drive accountability and continuous improvement.
- Design and implement data-driven decision support systems that enable operational excellence and a culture of continuous process improvement.
- Direct and mentor cross-functional process improvement teams, ensuring the successful application of process engineering tools, methodologies, and best practices.
- Utilize project management principles to plan, prioritize, and execute process redesign initiatives on time and with measurable business impact.
- Build capacity, demand, service-level, and cost models in partnership with Finance to proactively identify risks and optimize operational performance.
- Communicate project progress, recommendations, and outcomes effectively to stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
- Foster a collaborative, student-focused culture by partnering across the university to deliver exceptional operational and student outcomes.
- Respond with urgency to organizational priorities, exercise sound judgment, and drive results in a dynamic environment.
- Perform other duties as assigned.

What You'll Bring

- Expertise in process automation technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and emerging tools that improve operational performance.
- Strong knowledge of governance practices, compliance standards, and regulatory considerations affecting organizational processes.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and mentor teams while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
- Exceptional communication, facilitation, and presentation skills with the ability to influence senior leaders and drive strategic decision-making.
- Understanding of financial analysis, including cost-benefit assessments, business case development, and return-on-investment (ROI) evaluation.
- Ability to establish a clear vision for process improvement and lead large-scale organizational transformation initiatives.
- Proven focus on delivering measurable business outcomes, including efficiency gains, cost reduction, quality improvements, and enhanced customer experiences.
- Advanced knowledge of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies and quality improvement principles.
- Working knowledge of project management frameworks, practices, and tools.
- Understanding of business process architecture, process mapping, and operational design principles.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to assess complex challenges and identify practical, scalable solutions.
- Ability to leverage broad organizational knowledge to connect process improvements with institutional goals and strategic priorities.
- Adaptability and resilience in ambiguous or changing environments, with the ability to adjust approach and communication style as needed.
- High levels of accountability, professionalism, and integrity with a demonstrated commitment to delivering results.
- Self-motivated and action-oriented mindset with the ability to inspire others, champion ideas, and drive organizational change.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively, navigate conflict constructively, and build trusted relationships.

Minimum Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Service Systems Engineering, Operations Research, Supply Chain Management, Actuarial Science, or another relevant engineering, business, or technical discipline.
- 5 years of related professional experience.

Preferred Qualifications

- Master's degree.
- 7 years of professional experience in a technical or engineering-focused environment.
- 7 years of experience applying Lean and Six Sigma methodologies and tools to business process optimization initiatives.
- Previous leadership experience in Business Process Engineering or operational transformation.
- Six Sigma Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification, or the ability to obtain certification within 1 to 2 years of hire.
- Lean Gold certification, or the ability to obtain certification within 1 to 2 years of hire.

Job Description Disclaimer: This position description provides the major duties/responsibilities, requirements and working conditions for the position. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current position, however management reserves the right to revise or change as necessary to meet organizational needs. Other responsibilities may be assigned when circumstances require.

This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements.

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected].

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.