He became a department manager through the president's patronage.
先輩の引き立てがあって、この仕事に就けた。
I got this job thanks to my senior's backing.
foil; person who makes someone else look better
Standard spelling.
Variant without okurigana; less common but acceptable.
Nominalized form of the verb 引き立てる (to promote, to favor), from 引く (to pull) + 立てる (to set up).