Demoted as part of restructure - what do I do?

[HildaAlida]

To try and cut a long story very short, I've been in an Associate Director role with a small firm for 3 years. I was told 2 years ago that I was to be promoted to Director, as my performance was excellent and I was more than fulfilling the role of my predecessor (who was a director). One way or another this never came to fruition, and now my small firm is being re-absorbed into the much larger Group that owns it - one director has resigned, the other has had a change of title but at the same level. I'm going to work at the same senior level as part of a much larger team - but although my package will be unchanged, my role title is likely to go down to manager.

I've argued that I should be able to take a role as director, as was promised two years ago, even if only in title - but they are worried that it will rock the boat with the wider team, and make me look more senior even though I will have no direct reports.

I'm incredibly frustrated that I've been doing a much higher level of work than any of the larger team for 3 years, and now I am to work alongside two other dept heads. If my title changes to senior manager or something, it's going to look like a demotion.

I have raised this with my new line manager but he hasn't responded. I have to draft my own job description, and the versions I have been sent to base them on are manager and consultant profiles.

I'm not one for having a stroppy tantrum about these things and I'm very happy with the new role, however - I'm entitled to try to retain the director title and avoid ruining my CV aren't I?

Is there anything I can do? We have an HR dept but I have no idea about a union.

Yes people’s natural change resistance leads them to often spend too long trying to fix things and fight less than they perhaps would if they had a better idea of the current market value of their skills.

I was given two existing descriptions to base the new one on, and they are both at consultant/manager level. Quite a lot of the competencies are already specific to what I do - and yet my line manager said there was no one on the existing team that could step up to do my role.

So, they all have job descriptions they can't actually do 100%, but I can do all of the elements they can't plus some more - yet I have to have the same title as them because they don't want me to look more senior? Maybe they should be re-drafting their bloody descriptions.

I've updated my CV today and written a new personal statement, and switched my status on LinkedIn to "actively looking".

Yesterday the relevant people were responding to other email queries across the team with one liners, but nothing I sent about the role or the job spec was answered. Oh, I was told that me not being mentioned in the draft press announcement about the restructure (my original appointment was announced with a fair bit of ceremony 3 years ago, and I have regularly been referred to as "XX Director" ever since, even though that wasn't my title) was "an oversight".

They really are being obstructive to you now aren't they as you, as the round peg, don't fit the square hole they are trying to ram you into.

Glad you've updated your Linkedin profile and CV, with your Enhanced competencies. I hope you proactively speak to some Executive Recruitment consultants also.

Thanks Happy - I've sent messages to two people at agencies that I know, and will make a couple of calls next week as well.

It's a pity really, the actual role will be great - I can do it, I'll be working with two heads of dept, I'll get out and about but will WFH the rest of the time with a lot of flexibility, no micro-management, there is a decent bonus and the salary is fine. Its a very social firm and weirdly, its going to be fun!

But...I've been acting in the capacity of director, I've been called the director of that specialism for ages (including in the press and in structure diagrams at conferences) even though I was really AD, I was promised a director title with this move...and now it's all stretching away from me and it'll look like I was downgraded.

I can't decide whether to just be satisfied with having a job I like for decent money and general job satisfaction, at the risk of wrecking my track record on paper because I let them walk all over me.

A better idea of what else is out there will help you make that decision though

Yes that's true. There are other jobs, for a lot more money, but none as flexible - more like 9-5 desk jobs, which I haven't done in years.

That’s the downside of a job move, but you can go in and negotiate some flexibility as you can explain your current setup, it’s true you’d need to consider a short term hit but don’t assume you can’t negotiate a better deal than is on offer on paper. Most firms want results rather than standard hours.