Purpose: This study analyzes the influence of ex-officio leadership, organizational culture, loyalty, and organizational commitment on job satisfaction, with career path as a mediating variable among BP Batam employees.

Methodology/approach: A mixed-method design combining quantitative SEM-PLS and qualitative in-depth interviews. 211 employees were selected using Slovin’s formula to ensure representativeness.

Results/findings: Career path positively affects job satisfaction. Ex-officio leadership, organizational culture, and loyalty show no direct impact. Organizational commitment significantly influences both career path and job satisfaction, highlighting its importance.

Conclusions: Strengthening career path opportunities and reinforcing organizational commitment are key strategies to enhance job satisfaction in BP Batam. Leadership and cultural factors require better alignment with employee expectations.

Limitations: The study is limited to BP Batam employees, reducing generalizability. Cross-sectional data restricts understanding of long-term effects.

Contribution: Provides empirical evidence on ex-officio leadership in Indonesia’s public sector. Enriches understanding of career path and organizational commitment as mediating and direct drivers of job satisfaction, offering insights for HRM in similar organizations.