John Shelmerdine – Finance Manager, Operations

John started working at the Club in 2010 as a finance assistant overseeing the Club’s purchase ledger. Three years and two different roles later, he was promoted to Finance Manager – Operations, with the added responsibilities for expenses and sales.

What career path can lead someone to the finance of football?

You don't need to follow a specific career path, other than accounting, if you want to work in the finance department of a football club. Every member of our team has got here via different routes, and everyone comes from different backgrounds.

What kind of roles make up the finance team that supports the Club?

There is a finance director, financial controllers, financial executives, finance managers (including myself), management accountants, and finance assistants.

How important is financial clout in modern football?

It has a great importance – without top-quality financial controls, the Club would almost grind to a halt. When most people think of finance in football, their first thought is how much each club has spent in the transfer window, how much a player cost or how much the players earn. What they don't see is that there's much more that the finance department do than just processing payments for transfers and player wages. We support every department, from scouting to performance analysis, partnerships, media, facilities, operations, sales and service. Every member of the finance team, from the assistants to the director, has their own responsibilities. It’s important work, and we have supported the business in making decisions. Being able to do that is crucial to increase revenues, promote the City brand and attract the best footballers in the world.

Suzanne Heed – PA to Director of Sales, Service & Operations

Suzanne joined the Club straight after leaving school and has worked within various departments since, including as a receptionist, hospitality coordinator, and sponsorship administrator. She has been a PA for the last 10 years for several executives and directors, and currently provides PA support to the director of sales, service & operations.

How busy can it get being a PA?

Very, and the role can be extremely challenging at times. You need to be able to pre-empt your directors’ needs and always try to be one step ahead! How do you coordinate so many commitments for the Club’s executives? Being super-organised is very important. Before I leave the office each day, I prepare a to-do list for myself of any outstanding items that I will need to cover the next day (remembering to leave space for the inevitable unexpected extra tasks that come my way). I keep an ear to the ground and listen to what is happening around me to ensure that I can pick up on what my director will need and what he wants doing.

How much responsibility do you have as a PA?

It is my responsibility to guarantee that my director can confidently rely on me to keep things running professionally, efficiently and smoothly in the background. My job is to make sure that he can focus on the bigger issues that his role demands.

Ellie Warne – HR Co-ordinator

Ellie joined Manchester City Group as an HR coordinator in March 2014. Prior to this she worked at a Welfare to Work Company in their HR team. Ellie is currently completing a post graduate diploma in Human Resource Management at Manchester Metropolitan University.

How important is it that the community around the team performs as well?

Very – you can’t overstate that. As an organisation we all want to perform well in what we do; the Club’s culture is one of togetherness, so we work closely on and off the pitch.

Do staff feel part of the Club family, and is that part of the talent attraction strategy?

We are one team, even though we have several companies that sit within the organisation. I strongly believe that all employees feel part of the Club’s family and this message is frequently voiced from our CEO. In regard to the talent attraction strategy, and from feedback I have received personally, I think our ethic of teamwork is a selling point. I’m proud that our organisation is so welcoming to all new starters, with staff consciously making an effort to meet and greet them and talk to them about who they are, what they do and how they can work together.

Is there a conscious effort to create a culture within the Club that mirrors supporters’ experiences?

From my experience, our fans are fundamental to the Club and their opinion truly matters – to the extent that the Club will often ask for the fans’ opinions on certain things. Ultimately, the fans make the Club what it is and I do believe that we make a conscious effort to create and sustain that culture.

Harriet Dunn – Project Manager

Harriet is a project manager within the Infrastructure Development Department,currently managing the direct works and FF&E (fixtures, fittings and equipment) fit-out of the Manchester City Academy.

How important are facilities to the Club?

Organisations are driven by people. So, for the Club to build the world’s greatest football training facility, it must be supported by the best people, who all share a desire to work to the highest standards.

The Club influences this by ensuring the working environment reflects a commitment to employees and a recognition of their value to the organisation.

How does your role tie into that ambition??

To secure the Club’s future as one of the best in the world, it is vital that we create an environment for continuous excellence.

To make that sustainable, there needs to be an ongoing focus on the development of our own new talent, both on and off the pitch.