Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic

Hayley Ford

SWANSEA

Summary

A dedicated and community-driven professional with a strong foundation in fan engagement within the football industry.

Demonstrates exceptional organisational skills, effectively managing multiple tasks and priorities.

Creative with excellent communication abilities, both written and spoken. Committed to leveraging the power of football to create unforgettable moments for supporters and the local community.

Able to demonstrate a comprehensive approach to inclusion through work as the club's external EDI lead.

Overview

16
16
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education

Work history

Head of Supporter Services

Swansea City AFC
Swansea, City and County of Swansea
06.2024 - 08.2025
  • Creation of the club's Fan Engagement Plan.
  • Responsible for all supporter liaison: including through fan groups, wider supporter-facing communications (articles and social posts) and in my role as Supporter Liaison Officer, I also answer emails and complaints from supporters.
  • Organise and attend formal supporter meetings such as fans forums, structured dialogue and fan working groups.
  • As the Disability Liaison Officer, liaise with supporters to ensure the accessibility of club events, this includes responsibility for the club's sensory room, quiet area and matchday BSL interpreter.
  • Responsible for creating, and delivering supporter-facing matchday activities, including creating 'surprise and delight' activations for young and older supporters, charity matchdays, and fan-focused matches (such as Junior Takeover Day).
  • Responsible for the running of the family fan zone and organise pop-up fan zones on an ad-hoc basis.
  • Organise non-matchday supporter and community events.
  • As the club's external EDI lead, work with community leaders to engage and liaise with marginalised communities and help ensure the football club is as welcoming as possible.
  • Part of the club's wider safeguarding team.
  • Prior to taking on the Head of Supporter Services role, was a media executive looking after the matchday media operations including accreditation, while also writing match reports, and social media posts. (February 2022 - July 2024)

Media executive and equalities officer

Doncaster Rovers
12.2018 - 02.2022
  • Responsible for the club's media operations and supporting on marketing materials liaising with local and national news outlets, journalists, team manager and playing staff, and club board.
  • Was part of the club when they won Family Club of the Year
  • From 2020 onward – was acting media manager following redundancies due to Covid-19.
  • Worked on the club's community engagement, through the charity arm and wider community leaders and was part of the Fan Advisory Board.

Media and Fan Engagement Manager

Newport County AFC
01.2017 - 12.2018
  • Leading on the club's media operations and delivery.
  • Created a blueprint for the club's high-profile games, by managing and organising the arrival of 120 national and international media to a "giant killing" FA Cup game.
  • Helped set up the family fan zone, booked in guard of honour groups and matchday mascot.
  • Supported with community engagement and was the first point of call for supporter feedback.

Shop Assistant

Spar
10.2016 - 12.2016
  • Customer Assistant at a corner shop and petrol station.

Press and Marketing Officer

Deer Shed Festival, Thirsk
02.2016 - 08.2016
  • Responsible for the press and marketing at the festival including answering customer queries via email, and social media and creating engaging copy for the Festival Programme, newsletters, and website.
  • Managed the relationship between the press and the festival and ensured the festival was well represented across its social media channels.

Finance Department; Credit Control

St Joseph's Hospital, Newport
08.2015 - 12.2015
  • Worked in the finance department of this private hospital.
  • Professional, sympathetic and highly organised when liaising with insurance companies and patients via email and phone call to ensure that procedures were paid for in line with the contracts.

Press and Marketing Intern

Deer Shed Festival, Thirsk
04.2015 - 07.2015
  • This was the same role as outlined above.

Content Marketing Officer

Big Cwtch Inbound Marketing, Caerphilly
09.2014 - 03.2015
  • Wrote business blogs, created content for emails, and organised social media campaigns for a variety of businesses.
  • Scheduled this content using Wordpress, Hootsuite, and Hubspot and used keyword planning to help promote it.

Teaching Assistant

Christchurch Girls High School and Acland House, Christchurch New Zealand
07.2013 - 07.2014
  • Worked as a teaching assistant and matron at a boarding school.
  • Overseeing the girls' homework, schoolwork, and mealtimes.

Visual Merchandiser and Sales Assistant

Marks and Spencers, Newport
11.2012 - 07.2013
  • Ensure that the shop's displays, advertising, mannequins and posters were all presented at a high standard.
  • Customer assistant on the shop floor and on the tills.

Recreational Assistant and Lifeguard

Newport International Sports Village – Newport City Council
06.2009 - 09.2009
  • Customer service.
  • Ensuring the cleanliness of all leisure centre facilities
  • Ensuring the safety of all customers using the swimming pool and sports facilities
  • Ability to offer comprehensive First Aid treatment if required.

Education

GCSEs - 10 GCSEs at A-B including, Maths, English, and Science.

Caerleon Comprehensive School
09.2005 - 06.2007

A Levels - French (C), English Language (B), Physical Education (B)

Caerleon Comprehensive School
09.2007 - 07.2009

Bachelor of Arts - Media and Creative Writing

University of Portsmouth
Portsmouth
09.2009 - 06.2012

Skills

  • Good knowledge of fan engagement in football
  • Organised with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities at once
  • Community-driven
  • Hardworking
  • Disability Aware through training
  • Good writing and spoken skills
  • Creative

Affiliations

  • Learning new things
  • Reading
  • Watching football

Timeline

Head of Supporter Services

Swansea City AFC
06.2024 - 08.2025

Media executive and equalities officer

Doncaster Rovers
12.2018 - 02.2022

Media and Fan Engagement Manager

Newport County AFC
01.2017 - 12.2018

Shop Assistant

Spar
10.2016 - 12.2016

Press and Marketing Officer

Deer Shed Festival, Thirsk
02.2016 - 08.2016

Finance Department; Credit Control

St Joseph's Hospital, Newport
08.2015 - 12.2015

Press and Marketing Intern

Deer Shed Festival, Thirsk
04.2015 - 07.2015

Content Marketing Officer

Big Cwtch Inbound Marketing, Caerphilly
09.2014 - 03.2015

Teaching Assistant

Christchurch Girls High School and Acland House, Christchurch New Zealand
07.2013 - 07.2014

Visual Merchandiser and Sales Assistant

Marks and Spencers, Newport
11.2012 - 07.2013

Bachelor of Arts - Media and Creative Writing

University of Portsmouth
09.2009 - 06.2012

Recreational Assistant and Lifeguard

Newport International Sports Village – Newport City Council
06.2009 - 09.2009

A Levels - French (C), English Language (B), Physical Education (B)

Caerleon Comprehensive School
09.2007 - 07.2009

GCSEs - 10 GCSEs at A-B including, Maths, English, and Science.

Caerleon Comprehensive School
09.2005 - 06.2007

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Hayley Ford