I work in Denver, Colorado as a Senior U
Ask
I work in Denver, Colorado as a Senior UX Designer at a tech company, currently earning $115k base.
For the past 9 months, after our previous lead left, I absorbed all lead duties: running design sprint planning, mentoring three junior designers, and leading stakeholder reviews across two major product launches, alongside my regular design deliverables.
My manager routinely praises my work, saying "You're already operating at lead level."
Annual reviews are next Tuesday, but my manager hasn't brought up an official promotion or comp adjustment.
I want to formally ask for the Senior Lead title and an adjustment to $135k base.
I need:
1. A clear, speakable opening line for my 1-on-1 on Tuesday that states the facts, the title/salary ask ($135k), and requests a written decision by next Friday.
2. The exact next line if my manager stalls with "Budgets are tight right now, let's revisit next quarter."
Answer
**Tuesday opening — read this in your 1-on-1:**
> "For the past nine months I've been running design sprint planning, mentoring three junior designers, and leading stakeholder reviews across two product launches — on top of my regular deliverables. You've said I'm already operating at lead level. I'm asking for the Senior Lead title and a base salary adjustment to $135,000. Please give me a written answer by next Friday."
**If your manager says: "Budgets are tight right now, let's revisit next quarter."**
> "Then please give me a specific date for that review, and confirm in writing that we'll reopen this request on that date."