The Communications Officer is probably the only elected officer that is involved in almost every area of the union. This can sometimes be overwhelming, but most of the time this makes the job incredibly varied and exciting. There’s really no other job like it.

The first and foremost part of the job is to make sure that the democratic structures of the Students’ Union are accessible to students.  This includes big events such as the AGM and all USSU elections. Sussex consistently has one of the highest election turnouts in the country, but there is always a lot of scope for improvement, and this is something you should always be striving to do. The Comms Officer also often has to act as Returning Officer for elections, which is basically making sure elections and referenda are run fairly and properly.

In addition to this, the Comms Officer has overall responsibility for the image and promotion of the Union, which means that anything with the Union logo on it has to be scrutinised carefully to avoid contravening union policy. It also means keeping and eye out for press about Sussex and the union at both a local and national level. For this reason, a considerable part of the role involves responding quickly to unforseen events - both postive and negative. You’ll be assisting the President in relations with the media - often putting together press releases and coordinating a union response to, or stance on, major events; calling up the press to promote a good cause; or arranging television, radio and newspaper interviews with Sussex students or USSU officers. The press can be both friend and foe - but a good relationship with them is essential.

Perhaps the most time-consuming part of the remit is to look after student media such as The Badger, The Badger Online, The Pulse and URF. In terms of the print media, the role requires a fair bit of work time outside normal hours (on Thursdays you can expect to work 15 hours or more) as you’ll be co-ordinating an editorial team that, in turn, co-ordinates a team of writers. On top of this, it is your responsibility to make sure that this media adheres to the Code of Practice outlined in the constitution. This can all be very enjoyable though, as you’re working closely with lots of dedicated students and meeting new people all the time. It’s also incredibly rewarding to see student media thrive at Sussex, and to have played a part in it.

One thing I didn’t realise before I got elected is that the Communications Officer acts a director of the Union’s trading company and a trustee of the Union. Along with the other officers, you are legally responsible should anything happen. This is not intended to put anyone off, but to make anyone interested aware of just how important and varied a role you could be taking on.

I also didn’t realise that I would regularly sit on academic misconduct panels that decide whether students have plagiarised or colluded on their work. Checking through biology lab reports to make sure they haven’t been copied off the internet was certainly not something I thought I’d be doing. Again though, it is this variation of the job that makes it so exciting and interesting.

Perhaps the most important part of any elected officer’s job is to actively work and lobby to improve the student experience. As an elected officer, you have been asked by the student body to stand up for them on issues that matter to them and this is part of the job that you should never forget.

Why did I decide to stand? I always felt that I really wanted to do this job, and perhaps most importantly, that I could also be really good at it. On the other hand though, the idea of campaigning for election - public speaking, door knocking and having my name and face plastered on posters and t-shirts - scared the hell out of me. I’ve always known that regrets are a hell of a lot scarier though, and luckily I have none whatsoever - campaigning during the elections last year was one of the best things I’ve ever done, and because of the skills I gained through doing it I’d have felt the same even if I had lost.

But if you’re still not sure whether to nominate yourself, then I’ll simply leave you with a quote from Margaret Mead:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Now, go submit that nomination form - the deadline is nigh!