To feel sidelined after mat leave?

[MyDeftStork]

Hi all – hoping for some perspective.

I’ve worked in marketing for about 12 years and have a CIM Level 6 Diploma. Before maternity leave my title was Marketing Manager, and I manage around a £150k annual marketing budget at a scale-up.

While I was on maternity leave my title was changed to Brand & PR Manager, and my colleague in performance marketing got two hires (I have managed before but replaced with agencies when they left, and am now struggling to get sign off on a new internal hire!). This wasn’t discussed with me beforehand – it was just the title I returned to. My responsibilities are now a bit different and feel narrower than before, although I’m still involved in managing strategy, campaigns, agencies and budget (though just within the ‘brand’ side).

There’s also been quite a lot of leadership change while I was away, so it’s a bit hard to tell what the thinking behind the change was.
I’m wondering:

• Is it normal/legal for a company to change someone’s job title while they’re on maternity leave if the role has changed slightly?

• Salary-wise – with ~12 years’ experience, CIM Level 6 and managing a £150k marketing budget in the North East – what would you expect someone to be earning? I’m on £46k.

The other factor is we’re hoping to try for another baby in around 6 months. My current company offers 6 months full maternity pay.

So I’m also trying to work out whether it’s smarter to stick it out for now and potentially move after another maternity leave, or if it’s worth looking elsewhere sooner. I’ve seen a few jobs that sound well within my scope, being posted for £20k+ more than mine, but admittedly, they are few and far between!

Would appreciate any thoughts from people who’ve been through something similar.

I’m in a different field but I also had similar experience of being sidelined and forgotten about after May leave, especially with leadership changes, you need to work very heavily /aggressively on building these new relationships and increasing your scope/influence. It’s not fair but that’s the reality.

I also decided to stay put because of trying for a second baby and career wise it was a mistake. I should have gone for increased title and pay and went onto a second Mat leave from there (because second Mat leave also sidelined me). Especially given that it took us longer than expected to have a second child.

Having said that depends how old you are and how ambitious you are and what are your career goals.

If there has been a lot of change in leadership and other roles, it sounds like its just a coincidence that you were on mat leave rather than it being a result of. So, not sidelined because of pregnancy. However, there are laws around due process which from you have said may not have been followed.

Your salary is irrelevant to your mat leave and nobody can tell you if it's right/wrong because there's not enough info there to tell you if it's market/role appropriate.

I would definitely stay where you are if you're planning on a second so soon after the first. Job hunting and starting a new job is stressful and not ideal with 2 very young children.

I think often it’s simply that people have got used to doing without you for a year so you need to be assertive to make clear they can’t do without you now. IME this is rarely deliberate and just in the nature of taking a year out- things inevitably change. It’s tricky given that you’ll be trying for another baby in 6 months so might only be around for a year or so before you’re off again. Obviously nothing wrong with this but it’s worth giving it some thought re how to approach it eg building up your role again now then doing the same again after your second mat leave

You’re only entitled to return to the exact same job and title up to 26 weeks of leave. After that point, your job can be changed to a suitable alternative role with similar (but not worse) terms - including pay, hours and seniority.

The ‘breadth’ of what the role is can be a bit muddy. But if it feels like a downgrade to you, then I would set up a meeting with your line manager and tell them you’d like to understand how the changes best serve business needs and that this new role doesn’t see to be making the most of your capabilities.

I work in the media and £46k for a managerial role sounds right.

And no, I’d hesitate to move jobs if you’re planning another pregnancy in 6 months.

Sounds possibly discriminatory but hard to know without further information. I would check things out with ACAS/independent legal advice and if so begin early conciliation for possible settlement agreement. That being said, this would also depend on if you think it would be easy to secure another role quickly. Bear in mind you might not conceive immediately so there’s lots to consider

I'd stay, second baby with your benefits and then decide. There's a big jump from 1-2
I went back to the City after one, had a quick number two then stayed in my job treading water part time (which was highly frustrating but necessary for THE PLAN) for three or four years whilst the youngest was at preschool and the eldest got settled at school then kicked it up a notch once the youngest started school
I'm now senior level management across a national team, can travel as required (easier when kids are older) and it's much easier.

You are a long time until retirement. You don't have to try and be 100% at everything NOW. You can prioritise different things at different times of your life and that's OK. I've no idea why our generation got into a mindset that it's not and we have to be everything to everyone and burn out.

Sorry it just sounds to me like your company has has a bit of a restructure (eg leadership change) while you were on mat leave and the changes to your role have been a consequence of that.

How big is the company you work for op?

Both companies i worked for during my mat leaves had restructures, and my job title was changed both times. But working for a large company, it would be unrealistic for me to expect nothing to change or develop in the space of a year while I was off on mat leave.

I’d stay as being in a new job for under a year would impact any redundancy you would get if that happened

just go along with it, be amazing, and move jobs when baby two is settled in childcare

6 months full pay mat leave - I’d stay put for now. The jobs market in marketing is not in a good way, AI is having an impact. So I agree with PP, roll with it and have your second, then review!