Growing up in a sporting family, it probably seemed a natural path for Fremantle’s Supporter Operations Manager Jane Maddern to end up working within the country’s largest sporting organisation- the AFL.

But despite her individual successes in hockey, her brother’s Olympic journey, and growing up supporting Essendon, working in sport was never really on her agenda at all.

“I actually went to university and did a science degree majoring in microbiology,” said Jane.

“So when I started my career, I started in a scientific field and worked as an industrial immuno-chemist for awhile. Then I moved to the Mars group as a quality assurance microbiologist.

“The Mars group were big on cross divisional experience and after a few years I eventually moved into the sales and marketing division.

“It was after this when I first moved into sport which happened to be motorsport, and that experience was a real eye opener for me.”

It was then through a women’s golf network that Jane found herself employed as the Sponsorship and Events Manager at the Essendon Football Club, which she saw as a step in the right direction.

“I just got in at the right time I think, football was becoming very professional and Essendon was a particularly good club to work for,” Jane said.

“The AFL is just steps ahead of any sports I have been involved in and it was a brilliant time in my career.”

After a stint at Essendon, personal reasons brought Jane to Perth and she took on a sponsorship role at Perth’s Hopman Cup.

But even the attraction of working within the international tennis federation wasn’t strong enough to stop Jane being lured back into the AFL, this time with Fremantle as Supporter Operations Manager.

“You just can’t beat working with a brand like the AFL or Fremantle, it’s just fantastic,” she said.

“I think for any female to work within the industry is really worthwhile because it is such a great business to be in.

“It’s professional, there are brilliant opportunities, interesting roles, but mostly it’s dynamic and it’s topical too, which adds that extra element to the workplace.

“I would encourage anyone who is passionate about sports to get involved in the industry if the opportunity arose.

Jane admitted there were many reasons why she liked working in football and particularly for Fremantle.

“Mostly, I like working for a big brand, in a big organisation, in a smaller town like Perth. Opportunities like this aren’t that readily available,” she said.

“It’s such an energetic culture and you are working with people who are elite in their fields.

“The players are elite, the coaches are the best in their field, the staff are the very best at what they do, so it’s a really inspiring environment to work in.

“I am also dealing with a wide range of responsibilities and people within my role as supporter operations manager and that keeps it challenging too.”

What has been noticeably different at Fremantle compared to your time at Essendon?

“Well, both clubs are very professionally run organisations,” she said.

“But I think the approach that Fremantle takes, with football a part of the whole business and the administration a part of the business of football as well, is great.

“The two go hand in hand and it works fantastically well for this business in what it is trying to achieve.”

After more than five years of working within the AFL, what has been the most memorable moment so far?

“I think working with Kevin Sheedy on his 25 years in football, which Essendon called his “silver jubilee” celebrations, is probably the most memorable so far,” Jane said.

“It was a lot of fun and just having the opportunity to work with someone like Kevin Sheedy on something like that was pretty special.”

Finally, they say ‘purple’ is the new red and black….

“Well I’ve definitely caught the purple passion that I used to hear people talking about,” she said.

“I have to admit, it’s definitely infectious!”