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Georgina Slawinski has come a long way in a short time. At 18 she enrolled for a degree in sports business and coaching, setting herself the goal of first-class honours and – at some point further down the line – a position in the boardroom in football. Now, at just 24, she's been appointed General Manager at Chester FC, and her team is already moving the club forward on and off the pitch.

Such swift career progress is clearly the result of a special talent. But Women in Football has played a part too. As a WIF member Georgina was eligible to apply for a scholarship made available by the Football Business Academy (FBA) under #WhatIf – the precursor to the current #GetOnside campaign. Funding had been the only barrier to studying for the FBA's masters degree in football business – and now the barrier was lifted. The doors started to open, and Georgina's talent could start to flourish.

But the story begins much earlier. Georgina's love of sport began at a very young age – as both a spectator and a participant. When she wasn't watching Wolves at Molineux, she was in action on both the football pitch and the netball court, later becoming county champion in discus and shot put. "I was so sports-mad that I was that student who stayed for most of the after-school sports club activities that were available," she recalls.

As an undergraduate at the University Campus of Football Business (UCFB) Georgina continued to develop a broad range of skills. "Throughout my studies I got my level 2 football coaching badge," she recalls, "and also did some work for the FA as a Team Liaison Officer, working with several national teams." When she learned about the FBA's masters degree, her preferred way ahead became clear.

"Raising the finances was the only issue holding me back, but having learned about the scholarship from WIF, it gave me hope. In the meanwhile, I was accepted for the interview process for the FBA which initially required me to required me to talk about myself, my interests and previous experience. I also had to complete an analysis task to assess my critical thinking.

"I recall being on holiday finding out I had received the scholarship and I knew that it would play a major part in continuing to build an exciting career for myself. I will always be grateful to WIF and the FBA for the part they have played in supporting me.

"At the age of 21, I was one of the youngest candidates to study the Professional Master course, and to have had professionals in the industry have that belief in me and feel I had potential is a huge honour."

 

Proud moment

Students taking the FBA course have the option to spend time in Lisbon for part of their studies, and Georgina grasped the opportunity with both hands, getting valuable experience by working with CF Benfica on the development of their official club mobile app. She also secured an internship in the Netherlands, working in marketing and communications for the European Football for Development Network.

Georgina ended the masters degree on a high, achieving top grades to become class valedictorian for the year: "a real proud moment for me". But with successful interviews for two roles having taken place during her time in Portugal, her career journey was already well under way.

"Whilst I was living in Portugal, I had an interview with Wolves Foundation and the Premier League, and I was so proud to have obtained both positions," Georgina says. "It was a real sign of my hard work coming together."

The Wolves Foundation role was as a Health Engagement Officer, in which Georgina worked on an adult mental well-being programme called Head 4 Health.

"I was part of the project delivery team who deliver various eight-week programmes that involved different informational workshops and physical activity sessions. Workshops include topics such as coping with stress, drug and alcohol awareness, and inspirational speakers. The physical activity sessions are designed to be fun and enjoyable and include bowling, badminton, table tennis and more. At the end of the eight weeks there are sustained sessions that participants can continue to attend with Extra Time sessions and physical activity sessions including Walk & Talk."

 

Labour of love

The Premier League was equally impressed by Georgina, giving her the role of Games Programme Consultant, a far-reaching position where she works on "various festivals and tournaments across the Foundation, Youth Development and Professional Development phases, including the PL2 Division 2 play-off final, powerplay and futsal tournaments, alongside national qualifiers and finals". Remarkably, she retains this post alongside her responsibilities at Chester – "even if it means I have to do seven-day working weeks sometimes".

It sounds like hard work, but for Georgina it's a labour of love.

"Through an all-round team effort," she says, "we’ve made strong progress both on and off the pitch since the start of the season and we will collectively work hard for this to continue. We’ve obtained several new partnerships this season and I’m thankful that alongside our fans and existing partners, they trust our vision and what we are trying to do.

"Chester FC has tremendous potential for growth, and I look forward to continue working closely with the board to identify new ways to best serve our supporters and achieve our long-term objectives.

"It’s been so special to have been a part of the recent changes at the club and it has filtered down to the fans – there is a such a great buzz at the stadium on matchdays at the moment. I absolutely love my job at Chester FC and with the tremendous support and trust I’ve had from the directors, staff and fans, it makes me even more motivated and determined to help take this club to the next level. I am so proud to work for a club where the fans are at the heart and soul of every decision."

And what of inequality in the football industry? Georgina sees reason for optimism. "Of course, it has always been male-dominated, but we are now on the right path, with more women increasingly building football careers. Attitudes have changed for the better in recent years and we are on a fast trajectory."

So keep an eye open for Georgina's progress in the game – if her rise continues at its current steep trajectory, there's no knowing where she'll end up. And reassuringly, her ambitions are built on the best possible motivation. "The primary reason I wanted to work in football is that I believe football has the power to transform lives positively," she reflects. "Football has a massive communal element, and it is a fantastic platform to make a difference as it brings so many people together."

• The Football Business Academy has renewed its commitment to a 50% scholarship for Women in Football members applying to study for the Professional Master in Football Business. Find out more and apply here

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