[lostdog]

If it were constructive dismissal then they wouldn't have promoted him.

This is "I heard you were a high performer but I don't know you directly, so I have high uncertainty. I have a team that needs guidance, but I don't care enough about that team to put the person I trust most in charge. I think you're probably good, so here's an opportunity to turn around a struggling team and impress me."

It is definitely a shit sandwich though. The senior director didn't care enough about this team to really try to help them, and didn't care enough about you to pump you up about the opportunity.