Following her graduation from the BA (Hons) International Football Business programme in 2018, Gabriella Ward landed the role of Communications and Commercial Partnerships Executive at the League Managers Association, one of UCFB’s esteemed partners. Based at St George’s Park, the headquarters of English football, Gabriella works with some of the biggest names in the game to look after the interests of the LMA and its members. Here, she tells us more…

How long have you been working for the LMA and what does your job entail?

I started work for the LMA in September. With the organisation being small, I work closely with all members of the team but mainly the commercial department. I support the LMA team with internal and external communications with regards to the LMA members, corporate partners, football stakeholders, the media and the public.

What does a typical day at the office look like for you?

In my role so far, no day has been the same. My day starts with conducting a media review and circulating this to the team. I then help to manage the LMA website, social media output and the LMA content library. Some days I will support the team with research, statistics and relevant content from across the game. On other days I will be responsible for sending out our corporate partner communications.

With an organisation like the LMA, how important is networking and building contacts when working in the football and sports industry?

I believe networking is one of the most important skills to have in the sports industry. My ability to network meant that I was able to gain the LMA Chief Executive, Richard Bevan, as a contact when I met him at the UCFB Future Leaders in Football and Sport Conference last year.

What skills have you been able to take into the work place that you learnt during your time at UCFB?

Over my three years at UCFB I definitely became more confident in my own abilities. The opportunities that I took advantage of made me learn a lot about how the sports industry functions.

What advice can you give to prospective students thinking about studying a degree at UCFB?

Vocationally, I think UCFB is different to any other institution. UCFB provided me with multiple opportunities over the years to work in football and the sports industry and this resulted in having an impressive CV upon graduating. I think UCFB is a fantastic opportunity for any student who is looking to take advantage of work experience alongside their degree.