Natalie Dobson
Staines Upon Thames,SRY
Summary
Seasoned professional with focus on building strategic partnerships and driving collaborative initiatives. Delivers growth by identifying key opportunities and fostering strong relationships with stakeholders. Skilled in negotiation, communication, and project management to ensure successful partnership outcomes. Energetic employee well-versed in strong communication and organisation skills. Seeks solutions to problems and applies extensive analytical knowledge to findings. Adept at multi-tasking, leading group discussions and managing projects. Committed manager with exceptional leadership, organisational skills and communication abilities leads high-performing cross-functional teams. Leads projects, company operations and business growth. Organised and dependable with over 20 years of experience. Successful at managing multiple priorities with positive attitude. Willing to take on greater responsibilities to meet team goals. Motivated with a number years of experience, recognised for assessing operational needs and developing solutions to save costs, improve revenues and drive customer satisfaction. Resourceful and well-organised with excellent leadership and team-building record. Customer-oriented with a strong history of leading high-performance teams to meet or exceed objectives. Dedicated and hardworking with internal drive to deliver excellence. Tactical team builder with strong background in training and team development.
Overview
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work history
SIGNAGE AND PARTNERSHIP MANAGER
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2024.07 - Current
- Lead end‑to‑end quality control of Heathrow’s signage estate, ensuring all assets meet brand, safety, accessibility, and operational standards.
- Manage multiple signage suppliers and contractors, overseeing production, installation, quality assurance, SLAs, and performance to ensure consistently high delivery.
- Chair weekly cross‑functional stakeholder meetings, aligning Operations, Engineering, Communications, Retail, and Commercial teams on priorities, timelines, risks, and decision points.
- Ensure the right sign is in the right place at the right time, using data, customer insight, compliance requirements, and operational considerations to guide decisions.
- Manage stakeholder expectations at all levels through proactive communication, transparent project updates, and early identification of risks or impacts.
- Lead the airside de‑clutter project, removing unnecessary signage to improve wayfinding clarity and customer experience.
- Oversee BAU signage requests, providing expert guidance on feasibility, sustainability, cost, and brand compliance.
- Apply a sustainability-first approach by challenging unnecessary production, identifying alternatives, reducing waste, and coordinating with other projects to avoid duplication.
- Lead bi‑annual Heathrow map updates, coordinating content changes, validations, and quality checks before publication.
- Collaborate with external partners and agencies to deliver signage and brand experiences that enhance customer experience and drive commercial value.
- Mentored a female colleague in a male‑dominated environment, helping build confidence, communication skills, and professional visibility.
- Took ownership of the Terminal 3 external dressing programme, ensuring branding is delivered on time, on budget and in line with Heathrow design principles.
- Improve customer-facing environments by resolving issues such as Cafè Nero window vinyl quality, leading the switch to contra vision for better aesthetics and visibility.
SERVICES LEAD - PRODUCT DELIVERY
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2022.09 - 2024.06
- Collaborated with key stakeholders to launch products on time and within budget.
- Championed customer experience throughout product development process.
- Created delivery plans and project-managed change initiatives for new products.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop feasible solutions for product evolution.
- Presented and gained approval for product propositions from stakeholders and senior management.
- Collaborated with finance to develop robust business cases for product viability and profitability.
CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER
HEATHROW AIRPORT
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2019.01 - 2022.09
- Provided Leadership to the operational team of over 100 colleagues.
- Performance managed and motivated station management operational team.
- Established and maintained a good working relationship with the rail engineering team.
- Leads quarterly meetings with the TU ensuring a positive collaborative working relationship.
- Leads the station teams to deliver the highest level of customer experience while ensuring the efficient operation of the stations.
- Part of the FSEG team and leads on fire and safety in the stations to ensure compliance, ensuring sub-surface railway regulations are met.
- Part of the rail on call team.
SERVICE PROPOSITION LEAD
HEATHROW AIRPORT
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2018.03 - 2019.12
- Led on various projects.
- Developed and introduced Heathrow Service signatures, to ensure Heathrow deliver the best customer service in the world.
- Developed and wrote the service standards that sit under the service signatures to measure service delivery.
- In the process of developing service learning modules to engage and inspire colleagues to deliver exceptional service and ensure service is everyone's job regarding of which role you are employed to do.
- Created a day of training for the new starters on the induction course.
- Wellbeing champion, ensure the welfare of colleagues in the commercial department.
CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS MANAGER
HEATHROW EXPRESS
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2017.01 - 2018.02
- Developed and rolled out new policies.
- Engaged with regulatory bodies to ensure policies adhered to the railway regulations.
- Trained, coached and mentored staff.
- Exceeded personal objectives set by management.
- Hired employees and initiated the new hire paperwork process.
- Screened all applicants based on their qualifications and background.
OPERATIONS ASSISTANT
TAG AVIATION LTD
FARNBOROUGH AIRPORT
12 2015 - 12 2016
- Calculated the aircraft weight and balance, performance and fuel requirements.<br>
- Complied with customs, immigration and cabotage laws on international trips.
- Informed pilots potentially hazardous conditions.
- Monitored the movement of aircraft to minimise delays and maximise safety.
- Ensured that all crewmembers were fully qualified, properly rested, prepared for flight, had all required licenses and certificates in their possession and were briefed on all specific requirements of the trip.
- Utilised standard operating procedures, effective crew resource management, communication and procedures specified in the company operation manual.
- Worked within flight operations to maintain a culture of safety with efficient procedures.
- Prepared and filed flight plans both domestic and international, utilising all available resources and aircraft capabilities for maximum efficiency.
DUTY MANAGER
VIRGIN ATLANTIC AIRWAYS
HEATHROW AIRPORT
3 2013 - 11 2015
- Responsible for the safety and security of the airline and customers, while leading and motivating a team of over 100 agents on a daily basis.
- Engaged customers in appropriate conversation to understand their needs in depth, show high levels of respect for their individual needs and ensure their expectations are met.
- Resolved customer problems and complaints effectively and provided resolutions for complaint handling.
- Ensured OTP was achieved.
- Empowered staff to optimize customer service standards.
- Maintained excellent communication with key stakeholders.
- Managed service providers to ensure SLA's were met.
- Sought areas of improvement to meet the demands of the operation
- Hired employees and initiated the new hire paperwork process.
DISPATCH LINE MANAGER
VIRGIN ATLANTIC AIRWAYS
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2001.04 - 2013.02
- Ensured the safe and secure operation, in accordance with the highest possible standards of health, safety, security and all aviation requirements.
- Lead and managed an operational team to deliver excellent and safe performance on the ramp at a high volume international airport.
- Developed and documented LOPs when considered necessary.
- Provided leadership to the dispatch team, developing their skills.
- Managed and controlled manpower on the shift in order to optimise utilisation and to maintain staff moral and discipline.
- Lead the team and reacted to exceptional operational issues that were unexpected and unforeseen, to ensure safe and secure departures.
- Team leadership Excellent communicator Customer service Problem solving Organised HR Recruitment Manager
- Developed and trained pilots in CRM
CABIN CREW
AIRTOURS INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS
GATWICK AIRPORT
1994.01 - 2001.02
- Announced and demonstrated safety and emergency procedures.
- Administered first aid to passengers in distress.
- Checked to ensure that food, beverages, blankets, reading material, emergency equipment and other supplies were aboard.
- Ensured the passengers needs and expectations were met throughout the flight.
- Determined special assistance needs of passengers.
- Reassured passengers when situations such as turbulence are encountered.
Education
GCSE -
SANDERS DRAPER SCHOOL
HORNCHURCH1989
Skills
- Skilled mentor
- Natural leader
- Operational Management
- Performance Management
- Regulatory Standards
- Evacuation Procedures
- Problem-solving
- Customer-focused
Interests
Reading, spending time with family and friends. I also love travelling, exploring different places and cultures.
References
Mrs Z Simmonds
6 The Paddock
Maresfield, West Sussex.
Additional Information
A former member of the rail care team who would be deployed to a railway incident. Trained to manage and co-ordinate teams of people to go to major incidents to support injured and families of injured.
A trained facilitator.
One of the courses I facilitate is a Heathrow specific course regarding what is your purpose and what are your values, this is a highly emotional course and can be very challenging at times.
Timeline
SIGNAGE AND PARTNERSHIP MANAGER
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2024.07 - Current
SERVICES LEAD - PRODUCT DELIVERY
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2022.09 - 2024.06
CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2019.01 - 2022.09
SERVICE PROPOSITION LEAD
HEATHROW AIRPORT
2018.03 - 2019.12
CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS MANAGER
HEATHROW EXPRESS
2017.01 - 2018.02
DISPATCH LINE MANAGER
VIRGIN ATLANTIC AIRWAYS
2001.04 - 2013.02
CABIN CREW
AIRTOURS INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS
1994.01 - 2001.02
GCSE -
SANDERS DRAPER SCHOOL
OPERATIONS ASSISTANT
TAG AVIATION LTD
12 2015 - 12 2016
DUTY MANAGER
VIRGIN ATLANTIC AIRWAYS
3 2013 - 11 2015