Strange managerial relationship.

This could be a long post, so apologies in advance.

Probably best if I start off this post by saying that I am new to Ireland. My current place of work is the only place of work that I've ever had here. I joined the organisation two years ago, on moving to Ireland.

On joining the organisation, I was told that manager 'B' would be mentoring me, and she would evaluate my progress, approve my leave requests, answer any questions that I have etc. Manager 'B' has been working with the company for many years, well over ten years. After I joined, Manager 'B' ignored me for weeks on end. I sat beside her in the office, and she wouldn't even say "hello". I tried to force some conversation and she'd shut it down. I worked very closely with a senior PM, and a member of the senior executive at the time, and my work came from them. Six months passed; the end of my probation period, and I heard nothing from manager 'B'. I brought it up with the senior PM, who I got on great with, and he just laughed it off. He told me that manager 'B' doesn't like people who are younger than her, that she doesn't like people who are older than her, and she really doesn't like other women. He told me not to worry about my probation unless I hear otherwise.

An issue arose with another new joiner a few months later. He joined the team two months after I joined. He was let go at the end of his probation period. Manager 'B' ignored him, just like me, but he was let go following a negative report from manager 'B'. HR approached me at that point, and the HR manager scheduled a meeting with me. She asked me what manager 'B' was like with me. I told her that manager 'B' ignored me also. I told her that manager 'B' didn't speak to me at the end of my probation period. She apologized on behalf of the organisation. She begged me not to leave the organisation, and told me that senior management would be "devastated" if I left. She also told me that many attempts had be made to address the issues with manager 'B'. They'd sent her on training, and offered her alternative roles in the organisation, but she doesn't want to move. It was acknowledged that she was/is failing as a manager.

Changes were made in the senior executive last year, and the senior PM and I started working with a new lady, Director 'D'. 'D' and I got on great from day one. We think and work the same way. If she has a question, she calls me up, I'll give her some options, and my opinion. She'll run with my suggestion 99% of the time. Director 'D' is a lot more progressive and aggressive than her predecessor, and that doesn't sit well with manager 'B'. On joining the organisation, director 'D' decided to sit in all of the meetings with our clients, and she asked lots of questions afterwards. Manager 'B' really struggled with this, and she tended to direct the questions to me, or say that she couldn't understand the question, or give an answer. English isn't her first language, and she used that as an excuse most of the time. Director 'D' called me one evening, and she voiced her concerns about the team and the way it was approaching work. She asked me about my thoughts on the approach that the team was taking, and I confirmed her concerns. We agreed to schedule a one-to-one weekly discussion, to put a roadmap in place to address these issues, and director 'D' asked me not to disclose this to anyone else. A few weeks ago, director 'D' gave me a bonus, which she asked me to keep secret, and she also asked me about my plans for the future. I told her about my ideal role, and I also put forward a sample specification for the role. The specification in question was heavily linked to the roadmap that we have put in place to resolve issues with the team. Director 'D' responded by saying that she was happy for me to do the work, but she felt that the introduction of the new role at this moment in time would upset the team dynamic, and it would be "disrespectful" to manager 'B'.

Director 'D' and manager 'B' meet on a weekly basis also. The whole company, not just our team, knows about this meeting. Manager 'B' tells everyone about it. Manager 'B' called me last week, for the first time ever, and started rambling on about director 'D', telling me that she, manager 'B', knows her, director 'D', very well, and she can raise any questions that I might have with her, or ask her to approve training for me. She did request that I route all queries for director 'D' through her. She stated that director 'D' is incredibly busy, and it would be unfair of me to call her directly. Late last month, the senior PM I work with was let go when the company was restructured, along with a number of other highly experience members of staff. I was devastated to see him go. Manager 'B' was awarded the employee of the year!

I'd just like to get some feedback or thoughts on what is going on. I'm not familiar with office politics in Ireland. Am I missing something here? I can't fathom why manager 'B' wasn't moved on along with the other experienced employees. Secondly, why is the director leaning on me so often, but unwilling to promote me? Aside from her years of service, manager 'B' has no special connection to the organisation. We do have one team member who doesn't do any work but he is a GAA player. The company have him on the books for PR reasons. She has no external connections like that. I've a job offer with a new company on the table at the moment. Is it time to move onto something new?