I work in a technical role. My team's manager just quit as the overall direction of the company (we still make good amount of money) is going down considering all the original folks have left. The morale is also down after a recent layoff. So, my ex-manager was managing a product - which essentially is that of a company that my company acquired before they got acquired - with just 1 engineer along with the 4 of us working on a different product. When he broke the news of his leaving to me, he hinted me to talk to the group manager (GM) to take his job. I went and spoke to the group manager trying to understand his thoughts about a replacement for my manager - I was eyeing the role
. The GM tells me that because of HR issues he can't hire a manager but said he needed someone in the role of a technical lead right away on this other product - with 1 engineer. He said if I was interested then I should take the job. If I do take it then it would mean a promotion for me. The other backside to this story is that this product has about 5-6 major customers but with no new major initiatives in the pipeline. Also, management has decided to shut this project off in a year or so and have the 5-6 major customers move to a new platform. My GM acknowledges that this isn't the greatest product to be on but he contends that FWIW I would still walk away with a higher title.
My concern is that he's just selling this theory to get me to work on this product because finding a lead for this from the market or from internal is going to be difficult. My concern is that learning the ropes of this product will take up all my time, which means I'll move away from my current area of work. So, I don't want to be left in a position in a year's time if as foreseen management decides to shutdown this product completely and also let me go because they could no longer fit me in the product line that I'm currently working.
If you've been in a similar situation like mine, how have you dealt with it especially have you been to straddle getting the new position - and how did you negotiate better pay + perks without alienating your boss - and also making sure that you don't get laid off.
Thanks for your time.