Brighton and the surrounding Sussex area is home to a thriving digital, media and technology sector. Its hub of digital excellence and of inspiration and innovation is one of the most successful in the UK, with an annual turnover significantly exceeding £1 billion.
Wired Sussex is an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation that exists to support this digital, media and tech community. We thought we'd share some of our experiences, our favourite parts about our job and what we look for in new team members.
Rifa Thorpe-Tracey, Chief Marketing Officer
What are you looking for when interviewing someone for your team?
I’m looking for people with enthusiasm and a real passion for the role they are applying for. We are a small organisation so I want to feel confident they will be able to learn quickly to be able to deliver what’s required and work well with the existing members of the team.
I’m also looking for someone who is genuinely interested in the organisation and what we are trying to achieve, and sees the value in a role right at the heart of our community.
What kind of opportunities for progression are there at Wired Sussex?
We are keen to grow and develop people over their time with us and this often takes the form of team members starting at a junior/assistant level or even as an apprentice and then progressing to first a co-ordinator level and then a manager level role, as they take on more responsibility and decision making.
Being part of the Wired Sussex team there is also a huge opportunity to learn about and make connections with all our members and their businesses and gain a great understanding of the sector as a whole and what opportunities there are within it.
Chris Chowen, Innovation and Technology Manager
What is your position and how would you describe a typical working day?
As Innovation and Technology Manager, I’m in the very fortunate position to be working closely with residents of our Innovation Hub and Immersive Lab at the FuseBox.
While maintaining and expanding the FuseBox’s collection of virtual and augmented reality equipment, I have had the opportunity to introduce new technologies and ideas to creative businesses so that they may go on to innovate in their own way. Working not only with emerging technologies; I also maintain and provide Wired Sussex day-to-day IT support.
The days are always varied and provide a new challenge, ranging from organising and hosting events to teaching workshops and experimenting with the latest, most cutting-edge tech.
What experience do you need for the role?
I joined Wired Sussex after leaving university. As this role is somewhat new, there aren’t a huge number of known paths into this career. I graduated with a degree in Multimedia Technology and Design, specialising in virtual reality and was fortunate to find Wired Sussex needing somebody capable of managing their Immersive Lab.
There’s a lot of on-the-job learning required for this position, so it was really important to be enthusiastic about learning and discussing the latest technologies.
A background in development and a history of geeking out is very important!
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
For me, the most rewarding part is the opportunity to speak and work with businesses, artists and creatives doing really interesting things with technologies that I still find very exciting (VR, 5G and AI in particular). It is particularly thrilling to find ideas and technologies that I have suggested make their way into multi-million-pound projects. Additionally, being able to introduce people to VR for the first time is another highlight.
Ophelia Schultz-Clark, Community Assistant
What is your position and how would you describe a typical working day?
As Community Assistant, I’m the first point of contact for Wired Sussex members and users of our dedicated Digital, Media & Tech Jobs site. A typical working day for me is supporting our members to understand and engage with the opportunities and benefits of their membership. This includes anything from helping them to share their news and success stories, crafting an advert for our Jobs site, to finding a local agency or freelancer to collaborate on projects with.
Outside of my daily responsibilities, no two days are quite the same at Wired Sussex. One day I could be supporting an event at the FuseBox, and the next representing our Jobs site at a Careers Fair.
What experience do you need for the role?
Customer service, copywriting and digital skills all serve me well in my role, as well as a good head for admin and an ability to stay focused and keep organised. Working at Wired Sussex has really pushed me to broaden my skillset, enabling me to provide the best support to recruiters advertising on our site and to local organisations getting the most out of their membership.
It's great to work for an organisation that brings together so many unique businesses and individuals within the Digital, Tech and Media industry.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
It's so rewarding to see new members grow within our community, network with clients, gain new work and eventually expand and recruit. There is no hard sell, this is a community that not only I support, but support each other.
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