Currently I work in a mid-level position in a medium-sized private company. I manage 2 people and I have a colleague, supposedly at the same level as me, who also manages 2 people. Our areas of responsibility fit together, so we work together very closely a lot of the time. She is more experienced than I am, a much more forthright personality, has more exposure to senior management, and some additional areas of responsibility which I don't know much about at present.
She is leaving, having accepted an amazing job offer elsewhere. Her notice period is 2 months. I'm happy for her on a personal level of course, but very worried about how the department will manage without her. There is nobody at present, above or below, who has her depth and detail of company knowledge, or her particular personal skills.
As expected, management are not even going to try and replace her. Instead, the plan is to 'promote' me into a new kind of teamleader role, and hire two new people at a lower level to do some of what she currently does, and what I currently do. These people of course will need to be found and trained, which will not happen quickly, so in the meantime all the responsibility will fall on me. I have been vaguely promised more money, no concrete details yet, but I'm not expecting much.
In theory I have a choice about whether to accept this role, but in practice, realistically, I don't, at least in the short term. I am the next most experienced person in the team, yet I feel I am being set up to fail. I do not know what to do. What would you do in this situation?
Sorry about the length!