To find salary offered an insult?

OP what do you benchmark the role at? Is it a big team underneath the direct reports?

I’d expect someone at that level of salary to be dealing with resource mgt even if it is via dotted lines rather than direct reports. Does it change the nature of the role significantly? In which case you could look at declining the role or constructive dismissal.

I rolled my eyes in afraid. In public sector I had 2 new teams of approx 70 staff lumped on me with no consultation or suggestion of increased salary. 20 grand for 3 direct reports sounds amazing.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be expected to manage people at 125k

A better question would have been “is a 20% salary increase worth it to take on managing 3 people?” or even better “could I get the same or greater salary with less responsibility somewhere else?”.

I managed 2 people when I earned 23k, now I manage no people on 65k.

If you think you can get better conditions somewhere else then leave.

I think @apples24 and @edwinbear made good points about working in the financial industry in London and the state of the jobs market. If you’re going through a restructure and being offered this, it’s a good way to weather the storm and figure out what’s next. If you’re managing people, you’ll also get the inside scoop on changes a bit sooner than those who are individual contributors.

If I were you, I’d take it. Maybe counter offer once you’ve worked out the tax implications.

And seriously, everyone on this thread who’s saying they manage huge teams on far less money, well done, you’re great but all that means is someone is profiting off your labour somewhere else and laughing all the way to the bank. That’s the problem with the UK job market and why wages are so low. People just accept it.

Whether working hard and being highly qualified is likely to lead to substantial financial remuneration depends entirely upon your chosen career.

The UK is Capitalist, and OP works in a high paying sector. Wages aren’t decided based on how virtuous you consider a profession to be, no matter how much you would like that to be the case.

I'm not entirely sure why you've posted this on mumsnet, prob more suited to a specialised jobs board related to your industry? And people have tried to give context from their experience, and you've been quite cold and dismissive of 'their choices'. Large swathes of the UK are still using food banks so yeah 20K is going to seem like a lot to people who aren't in your situation or location.

Only you know whether the uplift is worth it.
However I would be careful about your arrogance over moving easily to a new job.
Over the last few years I know several high earners with decades of experience who have been made redundant and really struggled to find a job.
It's a difficult market out there in all sectors. Coupled with the very shaky financial outlook and the looming budget I'd be cautious especially as you have pointed out, you are a single parent with high costs

@Amethystanddiamonds Despite the fact they are highly trained professionals, often with post-graduate qualifications. Jobs with management responsibilities start at £31k in the NHS!

But this is mumsnet.

If you earn £30k or less, it's because someone did not study hard, did not get qualifications, or is lazy.

Mumsnet believes the UK is a meritocracy and everyone's pay is deserved. In mumsnet world, working in healthcare with post-graduate or doctoral level qualifications is irrelevant.

I actually don’t disagree with the principle that it’s not a great uplift but you sound extremely haughty, smug and a bit tone deaf in your responses to everyone else.

This is the epitome of what's wrong with the world as it stands. The likes of OP working in finance thinking that a £20k rise for line managing just 3 people is an insult. Whilst those working in healthcare, who are responsible for people's lives at the same time as managing teams of 20+, get far less because apparently it's a 'passion job'. Despite the fact they are highly trained professionals, often with post-graduate qualifications. Jobs with management responsibilities start at £31k in the NHS!

@Itsthedifference After tax, your salary increase will be minuscule. Salary over £100,000 will mean you lose your personal tax free allowance (along with childcare hours). So it’s an effective 60% tax you will be paying on that 20k.

... have you never heard of salary sacrifice?

@DrRuthGalloway I just find it sad and distressing. I work in a doctorate level profession at least 7 years training (usually more), they are crying out for educational psychologists.

This is mumsnet, so you won't get much sympathy. According to mumsnet, if someone earns more, it's because they're more educated and more qualified... they don't care if someone has a PhD.

@TJk86 Irrelevant. Her job obviously pays more for whatever reason (higher qualification, industry, location) and this is about how much extra she will get for the additional responsibility.

Higher qualifications have nothing to do with pay. In fact, getting higher qualifications is the best way to ensure you remain broke for the rest of your life.

Unfortunately career progression tends to require the management of others. If you refuse then sooner or later one of the idiots, who should have been your direct report, becomes your boss.

This sounds awfully familiar! I avoided management for years as I just had no interest in it, it seemed like a load of hassle for not hugely more money. Eventually it got to the point where either I managed a team or alternatively I'd be managed by somebody who knew far less than me about what the team did. I couldn't stomach the latter so reluctantly took the management role. Tbh it's pretty easy; there's an awful lot of BS talked about management but if you trust your people that are trustworthy, be nice but don't let them take the piss, and share your knowledge freely, that'll do.

Having said that like others have said the OP is slap bang in the 62% tax band so I'd hardly be jumping at the offer either.

Irrelevant. Her job obviously pays more for whatever reason (higher qualification, industry, location) and this is about how much extra she will get for the additional responsibility.

I can’t believe the level of vitriol in some answers and the “I manage 200 people and earn £15K”, who said this is a competition or that you should be paid per headcount? You being badly paid for managing a lot of people is wrong but doesn’t mean everybody needs to be wronged. Even if OP is not the most polite ever, the question is valid.

Someone already said but I would focus on the managing part alone and if you want to take on the task, especially if you’ve done it in the past, you know if you actually want it at this point in your career. Also, is it temporary or permanent? Is your job title changing? Are you getting an actual team and are you given the ability to set a strategy, goals? Or is a dump of people with their tasks that don’t have anyone to report to? How much of their work will impact yours? How much of your work influence theirs? Part of managing is also distributing the workload, can you delegate or pass things you currently do to any of them? If you want to grow in your company that might also allow you to take other projects that can give visibility or expertise for a future promotion.

It’s not stellar but I wouldn’t call it insulting. Given the spending pressures you have probably mean you can’t save as much as you should right now, I’d probably take it and stuff the increase into my pension (only sensible thing to do in any case). You’ll be glad you did in a few years.

Does she live in London though? She didn't say

I think that is a fair increase. 3 direct reports is very little. I assume they are mature professionals and not interns that need training/attention, so you should be fine.

To agree with a PP, I had to move banks because I was made redundant. The fact I had line management experience was critical in securing my new job. I was out of work for 8 weeks which is pretty good at my salary level, in this sector and climate. Having the experience of developing staff, managing a PIP process etc was definitely an interview topic. It’s really not unreasonable to take on line management of a small number of people when you reach a middle management salary. I also agree with PPs though that you don’t sound cut out for line management.

No, not an insult. Typically not much of an uplift is offered for assuming responsibility for managing others. Their offer sounds above par.

Unfortunately career progression tends to require the management of others. If you refuse then sooner or later one of the idiots, who should have been your direct report, becomes your boss.

Can you just say no; stay as you are or would that put your job at risk ?

Forgot screenshots, Soulbury pay 2009-10 and 2024.

I work in investment banking on similar money to what they’ve offered you. I currently have no direct reports because I only started about 6 weeks ago, but I’m fully expecting to take on 2 in the new year when I’m settled and the ‘performance year’ restarts. I managed 2 in my old job.

At this level, it’s really not that much extra work. You have 3 sets of objectives to write and 3 performance reviews, but these will be for people earning £70-£80k. They really don’t (or shouldn’t) need much day to day supervision. I had to go through 1 PIP in my old job which was time consuming, but not £20k extra of time consuming (and that was only once in 7 years). It’s £20k of easy money frankly.

I wouldn't manage other people if you trebled my income. Work is hard enough without having to pay attention to other people, who are often shit at their jobs.

I come from a secretarial background where I was expected to do other people's jobs for them without any recognition or reward. The solution, I eventually discovered, was to go self-employed. Obviously it depends what you do, but if you can find a way to work this, give it a whirl. Any extra effort you make benefits you directly instead of the freeloaders "above" and "below" you.