1. Sheila eventually wanted to become a manager, but since she had just joined the company, she would have to be low man on the totem pole for now.
2. Chris was happy when he finally got a promotion in the company. He was no longer low man on the totem pole.

The expression originates from the totem poles of some tribes of Native Americans. They were wooden statues made of tree trunks, which consisted of several carved heads, one on top of the other. The expression is usually used to describe the hierarchy in a business, club or office rather than a social or family setting. Even when the expression refers to a female, the expression is still low man on the totem pole.