Have you ever got a promotion by proposing a new role?

[7Worfs]

I’ve tried this in the past (different companies), but all I’ve ended up with was more responsibilities, so I want to play my cards right this time.

Context - big international company, I’m in Corporate Services (so overhead, not a lot of spare money in budgets), in a global senior role (deferred to as an expert, but no actual authority and budget).

I’ve maxed out how high I can climb on technical expertise, everything above is extremely political, and one has to be a savvy operator to continue growing.

The role I have in mind is within my part of the business, reports to my bosses’ boss, and I can create a JD and a business case with £££ outcomes.

But how do I play this right? My natural style would be to put a JD together, email it to BigBoss and outline in a paragraph why I think me in such a role Is A Good Thing. This doesn’t work though.

How would you do it so that you get the role, plus say the next corp grade, and a significant salary increase?

Bump for the evening traffic

I have but it’s always been relationship. I wouldn’t start by sending a JD. I start by taking big boss out for a drink.

(Realise that sounds like I was sleeping with the boss! She was a woman and we were both straight 😂)

Oh that’s good and wouldn’t have occurred to me, I’m so to the point and business-like.

But BigBoss sits in a different country (continent even). I don’t think an online meeting would have the same impact…

I have. But would never send it on an email. It should be a discussion. They might really like the idea, keep it and give it to someone else.

I made mine something that only, I could do. It also meant that I had to do a couple of courses before I pitched it. It took about a year to prep and do the courses.

I am just about to do it again. There’s three promotions on the table for me. I think the roles could be group roles and provide the service to all departments. So I am pitching that I turn those roles into group roles and I head up the department. They have some alignment with my two current teams so will keep them too. I Will be able to promote 2 people in those teams to leader roles. Theres only me that’s qualified to do any of the individual roles I have been offered. I can’t do them all. I can oversee them and support existing employees to start the roles and take the courses. They can start and be overseen by me, without the qualifications.

I also work with all group departments so have existing relationships. I also mapped and understand all the group processes. The role I am pitching won’t work if it’s not me. If it went to someone else it would take them years to get to where I am now in terms of knowledge of the company, qualifications and existing relationships.

Thank you @Wheretostartstitching this is great, and it’s giving me food for thought - I’ve only considered job and impact, now I’m thinking who does the role support, why at this level, exact teams and processes involved.

Any advice on how should I broach the subject and present it in a way that inspires confidence?

How’s your relationship with your manager? What level are they? What level is their boss at?

Who the the decision maker is would depend on my approach. My line manager is the CEO. I also have a great relationship with the CIO, COO and CFO. So I get plenty of optimist to discuss things with them in small doses. Float and idea, ask for feedback or what to change. The CEO is the decision maker and we have been talking about my next mover on and off for weeks. They are helping me develop the idea for an official pitch.

If your manager or their boss aren’t the decision maker, I would suggest the conversation should be about getting them on board with your idea and to sponsor you, help you develop it. So they or you (depending on the organisation) can pitch it to the decision maker.

My line manager - relationship is very transactional and brief (quick updates on projects), she is very technically minded, works hard, very organised, she isn’t one for casual chats etc.
I can pitch to her and she’d like the idea, though I don’t think she’d be able to sell it.

BigBoss is the decision maker - also a hard worker, probably competent, but comes across as a Big4 consultant (all learned platitudes, no real substance). Quirky and extremely political. Fairly approachable, I can book her for a 30min online chat, but I just don’t know how to seal the deal with her. What would make her say yes etc.

It’s difficult to say what would make her say yes.

I mean there I’ll be loads of deciding factors. You, your reputation, your skill level, skill set, budgets, company culture around promotion. Even if they live the idea and think you are the perfect fit there could be other factors to include. If you are involved in budgets that would be a bonus.

I am giving this advice based on my own experience of companies I worked for so it may not work for you or your company or the role you are pitching.

But I would first do plenty of research. Do you need qualifications or training in an area. How will you get that? Then you need to keep thinking about what value that brings to the company and ideally your man anger and theirs.

You want to keep thinking ‘why’. Why do they need the role, why will it bring value, why doesn’t it need to be a new role, why can’t it sit within existing roles, why you.

It’s corporate wank speech but sounds like the managers manager will like that. Think about ‘value add’. What value is this going to add for them and the company. Research ‘value add’ so you have a good understanding of it. Think about and look at who this will impact both positively and negatively. Where it’s negative, ensure you can communicate how much negative impact it would have and able to articulate why (on balance) the positives to the company or people would put weigh it. But also how can you reduce that impact.

Make sure that there’s parts of the job that fit you perfectly. Or several parts of the job that add up into a role that only you can fit.

If you can preempt their objections or challenges to it, plan a response to those. Then speak to your manager and ask for feedback. Ask if the value add you have come up with would appeal to their boss.

Take the feedback. Speak to their boss and set the time up. Ask for feedback In the first instance. If they offer to think about it, try and pin them down on a decision date. If they seem unsure ask them if there’s any objections they have that you reassure them on.

Then arrange another meeting so hear their decision or discuss further. If the decline your proposal, ask them why. Is it budget? Is it the idea? Can you go away and come back with a revised version that they would look at again. Ask how they can support your progression so you can more comfortably pitch this or similar again.

Sorry it’s really late am I am knackered. I hope that all makes sense.

No idea, I’ve just read the thread and want to say good luck! And what’s the worst thing that can happen? I say go for it to the top boss with confidence, ask for a 30 mins but say in basic detail that you have a proposal x
I’ve been out of the game too long but confidence goes a huge way. Believe in yourself!

@Wheretostartstitching brilliant advice - @7Worfs only other thing I’d say is to make sure Big Boss is prepared for this kind of chat. I’ve had this kind of pitch made to me before when I’ve dialled into a 30 min teams invite with no context and it takes a while to get your head into. A brief email articulating that you’ve been thinking about where the business is going, and how you could best support it in its growth, and would like to have a conversation about it with her would suffice, then get the invite in. Good luck!

The other thing I'd say is look at similar roles in other companies. So you know what their offer is and what it's worth. You might find an alternative role if your boss can't see the value add.

My old company didn't see the value add and so I moved and now a year on I'm the role above.

@KeepingKeepingOn and @Wallywobbles male excellent points

A clear agenda needs to be set.

and yes, look at similar roles elsewhere. It will help you prepare and might open up some opportunities to move if the pitch isn’t successful.

Both great pieces of advice

Thank you all, especially @Wheretostartstitching

I already have the rare skill and its relevant certification (which is at the highest possible level).
I’ll dedicate the rest of summer to the research & prep per all the excellent advice above.

Let us know how it goes! Good luck!

Will do, thank you very much! 😊