Lauren Niedringhaus
Carrollton
Summary
Dynamic Benefits Consultant with a proven track record at the University of West Georgia, excelling in employee benefits administration and strategic planning. Spearheaded the first Spanish-language Benefits & Leave Guide, enhancing inclusion. Expert in compliance oversight and team leadership, driving a 25% increase in employee engagement through innovative communication strategies.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Benefits Consultant & Leave Administration Manager
University of West Georgia
10.2021 - Current
- Provide strategic leadership for all employee benefits programs serving 1,600+ faculty and staff, aligning with University System of Georgia (USG) objectives.
- Lead a team of HR staff and student assistants, ensuring high-quality service delivery, professional development, and collaborative problem-solving.
- Authored and implemented the first-ever Spanish-language Benefits & Leave Guide across UWG and USG institutions, advancing inclusion and accessibility for Spanish-speaking employees—recognized as a system-wide leadership win.
- Designed and launched new benefits communication and education toolkits, increasing employee understanding and participation by 25%.
- Oversaw compliance for FMLA, ADA, parental leave, and complex accommodations, ensuring 100% audit success and equitable employee experiences.
- Partner with executive leadership to align total rewards offerings with institutional priorities, improving retention and employee well-being.
- Serve as HRMS system liaison, overseeing benefits/payroll integration, data accuracy, and troubleshooting.
- Conduct employee relations consultations, including formal investigations, conflict resolution, and disciplinary action recommendations.
Benefits & Payroll Consultant
The Payroll Process
01.2020 - 10.2022
- Led client-facing project teams to redesign health & welfare and retirement benefits programs, achieving measurable cost efficiencies.
- Guided HR and payroll staff through HRMS transitions, reducing payroll/benefits errors by 30%.
- Provided executive-level consulting to organizational leaders, shaping compliance strategies and HR program implementation.
- Built trusted relationships with client stakeholders to ensure alignment of HR policies with organizational objectives.
- Facilitated sensitive employee relations matters, advising client HR teams on investigations, corrective actions, and compliance with state/federal regulations.
Managing Director, Retirement & Benefits Administration
Fidelity Investments
01.1996 - 01.2009
- Directed benefits and retirement operations for corporate accounts with over $50B in plan assets and 20,000+ participants.
- Oversaw strategy, design, and administration of 401(k), pension, non-qualified retirement, and health & welfare plans, ensuring compliance with ERISA, IRS, and DOL regulations.
- Partnered with Fortune 500 executives to implement total rewards strategies that improved retention and plan participation rates by 18%.
- Led and developed a team of 12 professionals, fostering collaboration and accountability to achieve consistently high performance.
- Managed cross-functional collaboration across internal teams and vendors to drive operational efficiency and client satisfaction above 95%.
- Spearheaded employee education campaigns that increased participant contributions to retirement plans by double digits.
- Contributed to enterprise HRMS system integration, enhancing benefits and payroll functionality for large-scale corporate clients.
Education
Master of Public Administration (MPA) - Public Administration
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, GA10-2026
Bachelor of Science - Organizational Leadership (Summa Cum Laude)
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, GA05-2025
Skills
- Employee benefits administration
- Project management
- Team leadership
- Data analysis
- Compliance oversight
- Strategic planning
- Retirement plan management
- Vendor relationship management
- New employee orientations
- Open enrollment
- FMLA comprehension
- Human resources management
Personal Information
Title: Dynamic HR & Benefits Leader
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Benefits Consultant & Leave Administration Manager
University of West Georgia
10.2021 - Current
Benefits & Payroll Consultant
The Payroll Process
01.2020 - 10.2022
Managing Director, Retirement & Benefits Administration
Fidelity Investments
01.1996 - 01.2009
Master of Public Administration (MPA) - Public Administration
University of West Georgia
Bachelor of Science - Organizational Leadership (Summa Cum Laude)
University of West Georgia
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