Should I apply for this promotion?

[Umbongoumbongo999]

I have been working at my current grade for nearly three years. I recently expressed a preference on moving to a different department to get a further breadth of experience at this level before making my next upward move.

A director post has come up in my organisation (public sector). I didnt look twice at it initially as I thought the post was in an area where I have zero experience. However, today I have had my 1:1 with my boss, and she has set me straight that this job could be in any area of service delivery, not just the specific one I had assumed. She has told me there is no scope of a sideways move this year as my current portfolio is too 'high risk' for one of my colleagues at my level to step in to. So I will not be able to advance my career unless I apply for a new job for the next year at least.

She also told me there will be questions asked if I dont apply for the job, and basically implied that may impede my future chance of progressing. If I dont at least apply for the post now I wont look hungry for progression and may be passed over in the future. She told me she would have to justify to her boss (chief officer) why I don't apply, if I choose not to.

My plan was always to do enough general ops roles to ensure when I go for the promotion I am both experienced and convincing in my role, as knowing your stuff is really important. Given I wont get another chance to move sideways or up for a year, should I go for it?

I'm worried if I fluff the application/interview I will also be counting myself out as a future contender, and that everyone will know I cant hack it. Basically, I feel there is risk either way.

Fundamentally, I think I could do the job, and it would be a 15k pay rise with less line management responsibility and no additional hours compared to my current role. It is obviously more responsibility in terms of senior exposure and accountability but below board level.

Apply!
Let them know you want to progress, at risk of sounding clichéd get on the radar.
You may not be successful this time but if nothing else you'll get some useful feedback on your application/interview to assist next time.

Apply. I was in a similar situation a few years and after I was spat out at the other end - with the job going to the person it had been predesignated for - I realised I was ace but they were a bit rubbish. So now I work somewhere else for lots more money, respect and enjoyment.

But if I hadn't tried I'd never have found that out.

In public sector organisations managers are not usually allowed to block people from applying for other roles unless you’ve only done a role for a short time and/or your current role is formally categorised as vital.

If you think you have most of the skills/ experience and that you’d enjoy the more senior role, why not apply?

Thanks for the perspectives. I think I have a deep respect for the people at the top who have really earned their stripes and worked in every department. Partly because they know their shit, but also because they really understand the different aspects of the organisation/system do they hav more credibility. So I always felt like my next move would be for breadth rather than progression to demonstrate when I make my next move that I absolutely deserve to be there.

I also 100% recognise that most males in this position wouldn't think twice and would assume they deserved the promotion.

I think there is also a residual fear that if I put myself through the selection process and dont get the job I will no longer feel satisfied yo stay in my role and will necessarily need to look to move on.

@Dozer the jobs that are coming up in other areas of the organisation have been advertised externally and are on the exact same job description as me so not something I would apply for IYSWIM. There is a culture of moving senior managers around every couple of years. The last move was 6 months ago and I neither expressed an interest to move or was requested by the chief officer.

My area is a bit of a hot potato and I'm doing a reasonable job in difficult circumstances, and I think they have noone else in mind who could easily slot in. The sideways move I was hoping for would include management of a discrete service and a significant capital programme. This is a low risk organisationally, compared to my current area, hence the decision not to move me now. I guess my worst case scenario is staying put and finding myself on the same promise next year.