[JRutledge]

All I can say is you cannot do everything an official that has been working longer than you does. All a senior official means is they have been working longer than you. It does not mean they are very knowledgeable or that what they do, everyone else does.
You should always ask yourself, "Why is he/she here?" If you are a rookie and they are a "senior official," why are they here working with you? Now that answer can be a lot of things, but it might be they cannot work anywhere else.

Peace