A criminal barrister with a background in child protection, Jennie Birch never planned to work in sport. She initially began by building her own safeguarding business from scratch before an opportunity with the EFL opened the door to professional football.
Today, she works across safeguarding, law and sport, with clients such as the EFL, Manchester United and the British Horseracing Authority. Jennie is also a winner of NW Football Award Business Services.
Jennie’s journey has been shaped by learning to trust her expertise, navigate male-dominated spaces and understanding what a difference her experience can make.
A career never planned
‘I never thought I would work in sport,’ Jennie says.
Her route into football came at an interesting moment when the industry was being forced to confront safeguarding failures head-on. As abuse scandals in football were shown in the press, Jennie was marketing her safeguarding business directly to clubs. This then led to an opportunity to meet the Head of Safeguarding at the EFL.
From there this kick-started the beginning of a much longer relationship.
‘Seven seasons later I work for them as a consultant, providing training and consultancy to support clubs.’
Jennie’s work with the EFL then grew into working with other sporting organisations including Manchester United and the British Horseracing Authority. In total, Jennie has led the creation of safeguarding training frameworks for 72 professional clubs in the EFL.
Safeguarding is a massive issue in women’s sport… hopefully more sponsorship means more funding at every level.
Finding confidence in the room
The route into football was unexpected and finding her footing within this industry presented its own challenge. Jennie remembers what it felt like to walk into a professional football boardroom as a woman surrounded by men. ‘I am lucky that my knowledge and experience helps, but being in a boardroom full of men at a professional football club is a scary thing!’
The fear, she explains, was about simply being there. ‘Just being in the room I think used to really worry me, now I hope they see my experience and respect what I say!’ The shift in perception came through experience. By repeatedly entering those rooms, doing the work and speaking with authority, Jennie became more comfortable taking up space.
For someone who began her career in another male-dominated environment, the feeling was familiar. ‘As a northern woman at the Bar in London, I started my career in a male dominated industry.’ Twenty years later, she still sees challenges in football. Yet, her experience has given her a different kind of authority – one grounded in knowledge and the confidence to use it.
Speaking the language of the game
For Jennie, while expertise matters, so does communication.
She believes that being a woman can shape the way she communicates with different people across the sport. ‘I would hope that people respect me now for what I say and the fact I’m a woman helps me communicate and speak their language, whether it’s at Board level or with coaches!’ Her work sits in a space where communication is essential. Safeguarding involves policies and procedures, but it also requires people to listen, understand and engage with difficult subjects.
Much of that work happens behind the scenes, but its consequences are deeply human and can have a profound impact.
Looking towards women’s sport
Now, Jennie sees another part of sport where safeguarding needs greater attention: women’s sport. ‘Safeguarding is a massive issue in women’s sport, and I thoroughly look forward to working in this space in the future.’
As women’s sport continues to grow, Jennie is looking towards the structures that support that growth. She sees funding as a crucial part of that future and growth. ‘Hopefully more sponsorship means more funding at every level.’
The importance of being yourself
For women considering a career in sport, Jennie’s advice is practical. She wants them to concentrate on what they can bring to the industry and the skills they already have. ‘I think if someone has a dream to work in the sports industry, they should focus on what skills and experience they have, rather than focusing on whether being a woman puts them at a disadvantage.’
That shift in mindset has shaped her own career. Jennie entered spaces where she was not necessarily the expected person in the room, yet brought the expertise that was needed.
Her strongest lesson is also perhaps her simplest. ‘Just be yourself is the best thing I have learnt. People involved in sport can spot a fake quickly!’
Taking up space
Twenty years into a career that has repeatedly placed her in male-dominated environments, Jennie’s advice comes back to the individual. ‘Believe in what you can achieve. Work hard. Always learn from mistakes. Be yourself!’
From the Bar in London to football boardrooms, from building a company without a client list to working with some of the biggest institutions in sport, Jennie’s career has been shaped by learning, adapting and continuing to show up. Her next chapter lies in women’s sport, where she sees safeguarding as an urgent area of work. Through more funding, greater equality and more opportunities, Jennie hopes more people are able to contribute their expertise.
And perhaps her most useful lesson is the one she has learned herself through the years: you do not always need to know exactly where a career is going. Sometimes you just need to walk into the room and trust that you have earned your place there.
If someone has a dream to work in the sports industry, they should focus on what skills and experience they have, rather than focusing on whether being a woman puts them at a disadvantage.
Women like Jennie are the voices making real change in the industry, on and off the court.
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