Janine McDowell joined the Prison Service in England and Wales in 1989 as a Prison Officer at HMP Holloway and over the next 10 years worked at a number of establishments and in various roles before her appointment as Deputy Governor at HMP & YOI Feltham in 1999.
In 2001 Janine left the Prison Service and joined Sodexo Justice Services as Deputy Centre Manager at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre before appointment as Director – HM Prison Bronzefield in 2003. Janine was responsible for the start up and operation of this brand new prison for women from the opening of the establishment until taking up post as the SJS Operations Director, England & Wales in November 2007.
In January 2010 Janine was appointed Deputy Managing Director for Sodexo Justice Services in the UK with responsibility for operations and business development.
Janine was appointed as CEO Justice UK & Ireland in August 2015. In addition she is the chair of the Sodexo UK & Ireland Diversity Council and is a trustee of Safer London and the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion.