This article analyzes public value creation by the German Federal Labour Agency (FLA) from a middle management perspective. We relate the role description of a public value manager by Mark Moore with middle management research inspired by Floyd and Wooldridge. As a result of a case study we conceptualize critical experience of middle management and its antecedents in balancing different value dimensions. The conflict potential is seen less in managing different expectations from the top and the front line, but rather in enacting an integrative public value manager role itself which requires significant adaptive and value-balancing work customarily attributed to professional (private) leadership.