The sales management team runs the organization, but they don't have the relevant work experience to do so. They're all promoted from within based on their sales accomplishments and their relationship to the CEO. This leads to group-think where everyone has the same opinions as the CEO, or they are demoted/let go.
The sales team is promoted to positions outside of sales, like finance and marketing, which makes it difficult to operate those departments effectively. The people being promoted are top performers, so they keep their 6 figure salary to do a job they are clueless about. The worst part is that the people being promoted are cocky - they think they know it all, and they know they will never be let go from the company, so they act like they "own" the department and they're treated like kings.
Management that is brought on through external hires can't seem to hold their jobs. In less than one year, the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Culture Officer and TWO different Chief Marketing Officers left the company. Apparently, both parties agreed that it wasn't a good fit, but nobody hired from outside the organization seems to be. You get the strong sense that they were asked to leave.
The starting salary for new employees isn't competitive for San Francisco, especially for a company of Meltwater's size. This is especially disconcerting when you realize the ex-salesperson without any experience in your department is making double what you're making... no wonder your offer was at "the top of the budget."
