Hawthorn chairman Richard Garvey is coming under pressure from the club's leadership after they were forced to act on chief executive Tracey Gaudry after only five months in the job.

Gaudry, who was the AFL's first permanent female chief executive, was sacked on Sunday night though the club put out a statement on Monday saying she had chosen to stand down for personal and family reasons.

Tracey Gaudry has been sacked from her job as Hawthorn CEO. Credit:Eddie Jim

Hawthorn board member Bruce Stevenson, who was on the selection committee that appointed Gaudry, has also stepped down from the board after four years.

"Unfortunately Tracey has faced extenuating family and personal circumstances ths year which have made it difficult to continue in the role," Garvey said in a statement.