To ask about temporary promotion?

[CornishPorsche]

One of two bosses in my team has announced they are off to pastures new.

We're Civil Service and under a recruitment freeze plus a massive internal restructure so anticipate internal only recruitment.

I'm currently a HEO at band 5, but used to be an SEO with no line management responsibilities in another agency. I took the drop in seniority (and £11k in pay!) for my sanity and I absolutely love my job.

I'm not sure I fancy their job (SEO band 7) on a permanent basis, but it might be good to get a 6mth temporary position if I can and have some line management skills to put onto the CV for the future. The payrise wouldn't hurt either 😂

But I love the analytical work I do every day and that job is very administrative in the tasks with no analytical role, but managing other analysts.

Not sure if I am looking at something I'll hate or if it's worth a punt. Can you just give up a temporary promotion if you hate it?

Lookup the policy area of your department, but it ought to be possible to revert if you find the temporary promotion to be an issue.

There are two forms of standing up to the upper grade:

1. temporary promotion as above is taking on a role in a higher grade and getting paid extra for it - which makes sense in a team with managing responsibilities etc
2. deputising - which is maintaining your current role and covering parts of the higher role. An allowance would be claimed for time at the higher grade (policy would cover the difference between covering when the higher grade is unavailable vs truly depitising)

I would say to go for it. In my career I have both deputised and had full temporary promotion a number of times
If you don’t find it to be for you then I’d still recommend trying to keep going for as long as possible rather than dropping back, unless it was causing you issues / distress. If it’s difficult at first then try to keep going as it will get easier (you could for example have some issues with personalities if they don’t like being managed by you as “you’re their equal” rather than their senior - but usually a decent team can work together)

As time progresses 6 months soon go quickly and it’s a non committed test of promotion.
In the civil service a temporary 6 months can easily end up extended, but rules have a maximum of one year - and if you’re not so keen on it then when an extension is considered then you can recommend someone else gets a chance