WWYD

[SerenityNowakaBleh]

So, basically I have huge issues with my line manager.

The way the team is structured is that the team head is a technical expert (and is meant to be) on our function. There is then a manager under the team head who is supposed to also have a level of expertise (should anything happen to team head, legally speaking, line manager should be able to step in immediately) and to manage the team on a day to day basis.

In short, the line manager doesn't understand what I do for my job. There have been situations where I have explained things them repeatedly, and sent on emails, and they still got it wrong. (for example, when setting my objectives they were talking about re-engineering a system, but were discussing completely the wrong system, despite me explaining what was happening about three times before). Also, they don't seem to like me as a person, at all. There are other team members that they do like, and these people are given favourable treatment and are not harassed. Last year, I was told that both team head and line manager wanted me to be promoted, but because of changeovers in management etc., they didn't manage but would put me forward for promotion in this round. I was then told yesterday that I wasn't promoted because of an incident that occurred last year, where line manager had tried to get me to try and do work that was someone else's (take the lead on a project where a project leader had already been appointed), and didn't provide enough support and guidance. I did turn the situation around, spectacularly. I was also told that if I had moved to another job I had applied for internally, I would have been promoted.

My feelings (based on many things) is that my line manager is trying to block or hinder my career progression mostly because they don't like me. They came in from another organisation and are in regular contact with their old team - I think they're trying to ring all of their old team in and drive us out. From discussions with the team head is that if I do want to progress within this organisation, it is not going to be in this team, but elsewhere. I am well respected by most, if not all, of the people I work with. I just don't get the same respect from my line manager. I cannot really discuss these issues with the team head, or don't feel particularly comfortable with doing so, because they and the line manager are best friends - have known each other for over 20 years, their families are very close etc. etc., and call me crazy, I don't think they could be objective on this issue.

WWYD? I have contacted HR about what to do to move internally, and have been put on a list (by senior management) to be notified of new jobs within the department. I am looking for new jobs externally, but ideally I would like to stay within this organisation. Could this sort of situation be reported to and dealt with by HR? I'm rather wary of messing with these two, as team head and another senior individual in the organisation (also good friend of 20 odd years) drove out my previous manager so these two could get in. They're pretty sneaky.

(sorry it's so long)