Being adaptable is key for Payroll Officer Sophie Manousopoulos, whose day-to-day workload at Collingwood is very different from the traditional financial load.

As part of Collingwood’s 2023 International Women's Day Staff Spotlight Series, we sat down with Sophie where she shared her perspectives and experiences working in sport. 

Tell me a little bit about your journey to the Collingwood Football Club; how did you get your start in the industry, and what led you to this role in particular?  

To be honest I did not realise AFL was an industry and never realised that I could be involved with or working for a Club that is so renowned! I wish I had sooner, as I realised that this industry is an oyster for us all! I was made redundant elsewhere due to Covid and reluctantly signed up as a temp with a payroll software company that needed to fill a job ASAP. I finished up in November 2020, and started with Collingwood in December 2020, before being made permanent mid-March 2021.

Does your role have different objectives depending on the time of year? How does it change between traditional 9-5 to gameday?

Absolutely – our financial year runs November to October. A whole new world for me, used to the June to July financial years. October to December is such a crazy busy couple of months for all of us here in finance; end of year reporting, reconciliations and special projects. Being adaptable helps as there is never a dull day around here!

What does it mean to you to work in a largely male-dominated industry? What are the biggest challenges and/or most rewarding aspects of your job? 

I don’t particularly take into account that it is a more male-dominant environment, especially coming from automotive and construction positions with woman bosses and colleagues. The biggest challenges always are: am I heard? Am I respected? And most of all, am I valued? I felt very welcomed and appreciated how many women are working here at Collingwood and continuously feel that to this day. However, it is like no other job or industry I’ve worked in, that is for sure! This one is much more inclusive, entertaining, active and friendly, filled with a gamut of diversity of cultures, age and talent.

What does International Women's Day mean to you, and can you speak to how important it is for sporting organisations to recognise such days?

I believe it is important for sporting organisations to recognise International Women’s Day as it was once something that didn’t exist. Sports was first demonstrated by males, to which formed the highest-viewing competitions we have today. When you think about a sport, it is usually a man in the spotlight. Whether it be rugby; tennis; football; soccer; boxing. It took a long time before women could professionally participate in these sports, and even to this day we do not have the same funding and views as the men sports do. However, there has been progress.

What advice would you give to your younger self, or to any other women looking to break into this industry?

Don’t be scared! Be confident, that is the first step… Don’t take “no” for an answer and never give up! Always go for what you want!