2 This chapter uses feminist and empowerment theories as a framework to examine how women in mid-level professional leadership perceive their level of infuence and defne leadership. Results indicate that empowerment behaviors are central when these women engage in opportunities to infuence institutional decision-making, in the ways they identify individuals with power and infuence and use their positionality to “move things along.” “The Ones Who Move Things Along”: How Women Mid-Level Managers Navigate Academic Landscapes Hugo A. Garc´ ıa, Kimberly Nehls, Kimberly Florence, Yvonne Harwood, Tamara McClain Student success and retention continue to be issues for colleges and uni- versities, and individuals in mid-level leadership roles can impact student learning, development, and institutional action (Ackerman, 2007). There- fore, research into the successful development of these leaders is critical. The development of student affairs professionals has not always been tai- lored to prepare individuals for the obstacles they will encounter while working with the academic and psychological needs of college students (Burkard, Cole, Ott, & Stofet, 2005; Reynolds, 2013) and has focused even less on navigating the organizational leadership structure at most institu- tions. In 2009, American College Personnel Association (ACPA) and Stu- dent Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) collaborated to create a list of competencies for student affairs professionals at institutions of higher education that are essential to the growth and development of said professionals: personal and ethical foundations; values, philosophy, and history; assessment, evaluation, and research; law, policy, and gover- nance; organizational and human resource; leadership; social justice and inclusion; student learning and development; technology; advising and sup- porting (ACPA & NASPA, 2015). In addition to these competencies, infor- mation about ways to effectively navigate institutional leadership and gover- nance structures may be of great importance to mid-level managers as they NEW DIRECTIONS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, no. 189, Spring 2020  2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) • DOI: 10.1002/he.20358 25