Why mid-senior level leadership matters more than ever

Mid-senior level managers are where United Nations(UN) strategy succeeds – or stalls. 

They translate ambition into delivery, hold teams together under immense, and evolving pressure, and carry accountability in both directions. Yet, across the system, they remain one of the least systematically developed leadership groups.  

In today’s UN system, leadership is not defined by formal authority or seniority alone. Across agencies, departments and field operations, mid-senior level managers are influencing their leadership landscape upwards, laterally and downwards, even when they do not hold the highest leadership titles in their organizations. 

They lead teams through uncertainty, balance competing priorities, support staff wellbeing, drive collaboration across functions, and deliver results in increasingly constrained and complex environments. 

Yet this layer operates under constant pressure and visibility – balancing upward accountability with day-to-day delivery – often without targeted leadership development.  

ELEVATE - from managing work to leading teams is built to strengthen this layer: supporting managers to move beyond coordination towards more accountable leadership of people, performance, and change. It is one of the four tracks within the Roots to Results Leadership and Management Pathway, developed by UNSSC to develop leadership and management capabilities at all levels across the UN System. 

ELEVATE focuses on a critical shift: from managing processes to leading people, performance and collaboration across teams.  

Why mid-senior level leadership is critical to organizational transformation 

Mid-senior level leaders translate strategy into implementation, shape team culture and sustain engagement during change. When supported effectively, they can become powerful enablers of organizational transformation, agility and responsiveness. This influence is reflected in: 

• How accountability is owned and delivered; 
• How decisions are made under pressure; 
• How teams work across functions; 
• Whether staff feel safe to contribute and perform. 

At the same time, the pressures placed on this group are significant. Many managers step into leadership roles with strong technical expertise but limited opportunities to intentionally develop the interpersonal, strategic and adaptive leadership capabilities now required in complex systems. 

ELEVATE seeks to close that gap.

Leadership for complexity, not certainty 

A central premise of the programme is that leadership today is less about having all the answers and more about creating the conditions for teams and organizations to act effectively in uncertainty and identify and implement workable solutions together. 

Through topics such as change management, fostering psychological safety in teams, and taking effective and inclusive decisions, participants apply tools directly in their work, testing approaches in real leadership environments. 

The programme creates space not only for such on-the-job learning, but also for reflection, peer exchange and honest conversations about the realities and the challenges of leadership within the UN System today. 

This emphasis on self-awareness and human-centred, adaptive leadership is intentional. Sustainable organizational performance depends not only on structures and processes, but also on the quality of relationships, trust, communication and leadership culture across teams. 

Part of a broader leadership journey 

ELEVATE sits within the UNSSC Roots to Results Pathway, which structures leadership development across career stages: 

• IGNITE for emerging-mid level leaders; 
• ELEVATE for mid-senior level managers; 
• AMPLIFY for mid-senior level women leaders; 
• INSPIRE for senior leaders.  

Together, these tracks reflect a strategic commitment to building leadership capacity systematically and coherently across the UN system. 

Importantly, the pathway is grounded in the UNSSC KCLM Leadership and Management Competency Framework and aligned with broader UN System Leadership Framework, Values and Behaviours Framework and the UN 2.0 vision. 

ELEVATE is launched at a time when UN 2.0 ambitions require stronger leadership practice – particularly in agility, collaboration, accountability and organizational culture. 

Looking ahead 

Investing in leadership development is not optional – it is where organizational effectiveness is determined day-to-day. 

Programmes like ELEVATE recognize that organizational transformation ultimately depends on people: on leaders who can communicate clearly, navigate uncertainty, foster collaboration and create environments where teams can thrive and deliver meaningful impact. 

By strengthening leadership practice at this level, ELEVATE contributes to a more aligned, accountable and effective United Nations system. 

If you would like to learn more about the programme, you can write to elevate@unssc.org. Also check our website for the next editions!