LINI COLLINS
Sydney,Australia
Summary
I am a Senior Manager with extensive experience driving rapid and sustainable change in large, complex organisational environments. My background spans healthcare, injury management, and workers' compensation, as well as recent roles in Ground Handling organisations in aviation. I am known for delivering results that seem impossible in new and evolving situations. Serving as a trusted advisor to executive teams, I am effective in challenging the status quo while securing the buy-in needed to achieve change. I leverage strong people skills, empathy, and business acumen to assist and influence others during periods of transformation. I engage productively with unions, senior management, and outsourced partners, using data to develop and implement solutions that benefit both staff and businesses. These solutions focus on cost savings, operational improvements, and employee engagement.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
General Manager Ground Handling
dnata Airport Services
Sydney, Australia
04.2024 - Current
- Company Overview: Ground Handling at Sydney Airport
- Managing the largest operation at Sydney International Airport with 17 Airline Clients and 3 Freighter Clients with a total of 2539 departures and 2537 arrival flights in April 2025.
- Accountable for managing the commercial agreements with 20 Airlines.
- Responsible for the management of a $700M portfolio.
- Achieved a 30% improvement in EBITDA by analysing financial data and developing the strategic direction to achieve improvements.
- Achieved a 10% growth in customer satisfaction scores by analysing customer feedback, streamlining operational processes and introducing additional customer feedback loops.
- Successfully consulted with staff covered by an industrial instrument, by utilising PowerPoint to present the strategy to reduce 1000 hours from a shift work roster. This saved $200K annually.
- 10% reduction of workplace injuries by analysing injury data and presenting the strategies to reduce workplace injuries through PowerPoint presentations that engaged health and safety representatives.
- Achieved an 8% improvement in on-time performance by analysing operational data and optimizing turnaround processes.
- Successfully developed and implemented the contingency plan for a Protected Industrial Action in January 2025. Customers were not required to cancel flights and there were no injuries, aircraft damage, or loading events.
- Ground Handling at Sydney Airport
Ground Operations Manager
Qantas Airways Ltd
Sydney, Australia
11.2021 - 04.2024
- Responsible for the Airlines’ day-to-day ground handling operations and ensured performance expectations were met against Service Level Agreements.
- Monitored the performance of the Ground Handler at Sydney International against Service Level Agreements.
- Escalated performance issues identified through the analysis of operational performance data and requested improvement plans from the Ground Handler.
- Identified a continuous improvement opportunity through the analysis of baggage handling data and consultation with the Ground Handler. This achieved a 50% reduction in mishandled bags and improved NPS scores.
- Analysed the RFP from an Aircraft Cleaning contract to recommend the service provider that should be awarded the contract to clean Qantas International Aircrafts. The recommendation resulted in a change of supplier which decreased the operating costs and improved the service quality.
Service and Performance Manager
Qantas Airways Ltd
Sydney, Australia
12.2019 - 11.2021
- Tasked to enhance productivity at International Customer Service in Sydney. Working with both empathy and a solution focus.
- Reduced unproductive hours by 10% by analysing sick leave and workers compensation data and developing strategies.
- Implemented a voluntary redundancy program in response to COVID-19 pressures on the aviation sector which affected 2000 employees.
Safety Ground Operations Manager
Qantas Airways Ltd
Sydney, Australia
07.2019 - 11.2021
- Worked collaboratively with Unions to align Sydney International Ground Operations with the Group Health and Wellbeing strategy by analysing injury data and presenting the findings through a PowerPoint presentation.
- Realised six-figure savings in partnership with union representatives.
- Reduced long-term worker's compensation cases by 25% by developing a Fitness for Work strategy developed by analysing workers compensation data.
Portfolio Manager
Qantas Airways Ltd
Sydney Australia, NSW
08.2018 - 07.2019
- Leading Ground Operations training programs and compliance.
- Analysed overtime and absenteeism data in excel to support a business case to recruit 120 staff to reduce overtime and absenteeism.
- Reduced training and overtime costs by 15% at Sydney Airport by optimizing allocation of 30 training officers. The optimisation strategy was presented using PowerPoint, to the Head of Sydney Airport.
- Reduced the operating cost of Sydney Airport by analysing injury data of 1200 workers and driving a transformation initiative in consultation with business managers and employees that removed allied health services that cost $300K annually. This transformation program was presented using PowerPoint.
Qantas Group Safety Services Business Partner to Sydney Airport
Qantas
Sydney, Australia
01.2016 - 11.2016
- Company Overview: Responsible for analysing safety data and developing and implementing strategies to improve frontline manager engagement. The strategies were presented to the Head of Sydney Airport by PowerPoint.
- Instilled a safety culture following the centralisation of safety and return-to-work resources.
- Achieved all safety targets in 2016. This was the first time in 4 years.
- Responsible for analysing safety data and developing and implementing strategies to improve frontline manager engagement. The strategies were presented to the Head of Sydney Airport by PowerPoint.
National Injury Compliance Manager
Qantas
Sydney, Australia
12.2010 - 01.2016
- Company Overview: Responsible for developing the national program for assisting injured employees to return to work. This was developed in consultation with business representatives and workers compensation authorities.
- Restructured and centralized the national return-to-work team, reducing staff from 45 to 24 with no impact on service levels.
- Responsible for developing a Rehabilitation provider panel of three service providers through a RFP process. Successfully negotiated the cost structure of the service providers that was of commercial benefit to Qantas Airways.
- Created a new national return-to-work framework, program and injury management model.
- Implemented return-to-work performance measures by analysing data of 1000 workers compensation claims and developing KPIs in consultation with business managers nationally.
- Responsible for developing the national program for assisting injured employees to return to work. This was developed in consultation with business representatives and workers compensation authorities.
Business Operations Manager
Wesfarmers
Sydney, Australia
01.2009 - 11.2010
- Responsible for a $300K portfolio.
- Analysed financial data to identify business improvements to achieve commercial agreements.
- Selected service providers based on RFP responses for cleaning services. Agreed KPIs and penalties.
Education
Executive Dean's Merit List and Award -
University of Western Sydney
01.2009
Master of Business Administration - MBA - Distinction
University of Western Sydney
01.2008
Bachelor of Health Science - Nursing
University of Western Sydney
01.1991
Diploma of Applied Science -
University of Western Sydney
01.1989
Skills
- Business Acumen
- Business Management
- Compliance
- Conflict Resolution
- Data Analysis
- Employee Development
- Financial Analysis
- Operational Excellence
- Process Improvement
- Project Management
- Quality Assurance
- Recruitment
- Safety Focus
- Strategy Development
Accomplishments
- Successfully managed large-scale ground handling operation with 1300 staff and 29 Airline Clients.
- Improved productivity through a reduction of 1000 roster hours.
Timeline
General Manager Ground Handling
dnata Airport Services
04.2024 - Current
Ground Operations Manager
Qantas Airways Ltd
11.2021 - 04.2024
Service and Performance Manager
Qantas Airways Ltd
12.2019 - 11.2021
Safety Ground Operations Manager
Qantas Airways Ltd
07.2019 - 11.2021
Portfolio Manager
Qantas Airways Ltd
08.2018 - 07.2019
Qantas Group Safety Services Business Partner to Sydney Airport
Qantas
01.2016 - 11.2016
National Injury Compliance Manager
Qantas
12.2010 - 01.2016
Business Operations Manager
Wesfarmers
01.2009 - 11.2010
Executive Dean's Merit List and Award -
University of Western Sydney
Master of Business Administration - MBA - Distinction
University of Western Sydney
Bachelor of Health Science - Nursing
University of Western Sydney
Diploma of Applied Science -
University of Western Sydney