HR Business Partner, Midwest

Crash Champions; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Group Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401k Retirement Plan

Referral Bonus

5 Paid Holidays

Job summary

Crash Champions in Chicago area is seeking an HR Business Partner who works closely with the Operations VP to influence retention, leadership, and team performance in a multi-site field-based role. You will split time across markets, partnering with leaders, driving talent management, employee relations, and core HR processes while traveling 25–40% within Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

You’ll conduct development conversations, review terminations, and use data to surface trends that

Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years of HR Business Partner or generalist experience in a multi-site, field-based environment.
• Experience building strong relationships with operational leaders and influencing outcomes.
• Solid employee relations experience including investigations and disciplinary actions.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to connect people decisions to performance outcomes.
• Comfort using data to identify trends and inform action.
• Experience with leadership assessments or development tools is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Partner closely with the Operations VP, contributing to leadership discussions and helping guide people-related decisions.
• Retention efforts within the market, identifying risks and driving targeted action plans.
• Build visibility into leadership bench strength across General Managers and Operational Directors.
• Conduct structured development conversations and support ongoing leadership growth.
• Manage employee relations matters with sound judgment, consistency, and focus on root cause.
• Review terminations proactively to ensure alignment and reduce risk.
• Use data to identify trends and connect them to business or leadership behaviors.
• Execute core HR processes including performance management, policy communication, and compliance.
• Maintain a consistent presence in the market to build credibility with frontline teams and leaders.

Skills

HR Business Partner

Relationship building

Employee relations

Data-driven

Leadership assessments (a plus)

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Job description

Champions Do More

As one of the fastest-growing and most exciting brands in the industry, Crash Champions is the largest founder‑led multi‑shop operator (MSO) of high‑quality collision repair service in the U.S. The company also operates the growing Crash Champions LUXE | EV Certified brand of high‑line and luxury EV repair centers, servicing customers at more than 650 state‑of‑the‑art locations in 38 states across the U.S.

Crash Champions was founded in 1999 as a single Chicago repair center by industry veteran and 2023 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Midwest award winner Matt Ebert. For more than 25 years, our vision has been anchored by the belief that delivering superior collision repair service is about People First. Welcome to Crash Champions. We Champion People.

At Crash Champions, our HR Business Partners support an Operations VP and their market by connecting people strategy to real business outcomes. Success in this role comes from building trust, understanding how the business operates, and using that insight to influence decisions around retention, leadership, and team performance. This is not a traditional HR Business Partner role. It is a field‑based partnership role designed for someone who wants to be close to the business and directly impact performance. You will spend the majority of your time in your market, working alongside leaders and teams, not behind a desk. You will be expected to contribute to the business, not just support it. This role reports to a Director of HR Business Partners who operates as a player‑coach and is actively involved in your development. There is a clear path for growth based on performance and impact.

Responsibilities

This role is intentionally balanced across four core areas. While priorities may shift, this reflects how success is measured:

• Business Partnership (~40%): Act as a true advisor to your Operations VP. Participate in leadership discussions and connect people strategy to business outcomes.
• Talent Management (~30%): Build bench strength across your market. Lead development conversations and maintain clear visibility into leadership readiness.
• Employee Relations (~15%): Manage ER matters with speed and quality. Focus on identifying patterns and addressing root causes, not just resolving cases.
• HR Operations (~15%): Execute core HR processes consistently, including performance management, compliance, and communication of key programs.

What You’ll Own

• Partnering closely with your Operations VP, contributing to leadership discussions and helping guide people‑related decisions.
• Retention efforts within your market, identifying risks and driving targeted action plans.
• Building and maintaining visibility into leadership bench strength across General Managers (GM) and Operational Directors (DO).
• Conducting structured development conversations and supporting ongoing leadership growth.
• Managing employee relations matters with sound judgment, consistency, and a focus on root cause.
• Reviewing terminations proactively to ensure alignment and reduce risk.
• Using data to identify trends and connect them to specific business or leadership behaviors.
• Executing core HR processes including performance management, policy communication, and compliance.
• Maintaining a consistent presence in your market to build credibility with frontline teams and leaders.

Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years of HR Business Partner or generalist experience in a multi‑site, field‑based environment.
• Experience building strong relationships with operational leaders and influencing outcomes.
• Solid employee relations experience including investigations and disciplinary actions.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to connect people decisions to performance outcomes.
• Comfort using data to identify trends and inform action.
• Experience with leadership assessments or development tools is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel regularly within market, plus 25 to 40 percent overnight travel.
• Areas of immediate coverage include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Ideally candidates will be located within the region they support.

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Group Life Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• 401k Retirement Plan with match
• Referral Bonus ("Cash From Crash")
• 5 Paid Holidays

We are committed to providing competitive compensation for this role. The actual offer will be based on various factors, including but not limited to job‑related knowledge, skills, experience, relevant certifications, and qualifications. The compensation and benefits information are accurate as of the date of this posting. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.

Posted Min Pay Rate: USD $75,000.00/Yr.
Posted Max Pay Rate: USD $110,000.00/Yr.