Purpose: This study examines the mediating role of organizational trust in the relationship between change-oriented leadership, bureaucratic culture, and employee resistance to change in South Sudan's public sector.

Methodology/Design: A quantitative cross-sectional research design was employed, grounded in positivist philosophy. Data were collected from 306 public officers across three ministries in Juba using a structured questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with AMOS software was used to test the hypothesized relationships, with bootstrapping procedures employed to assess mediation effects.

Findings: Change oriented leadership significantly reduces employee resistance to change, both directly (β = -0.31, p < 0.001) and indirectly through organizational trust. Bureaucratic culture significantly increases resistance, both directly (β = 0.38, p < 0.001) and indirectly through eroding trust (β = -0.42, p < 0.001). Organizational trust partially mediates both relationships, confirming its critical role as a psychological mechanism in shaping employee responses to reform initiatives.

Implications: The findings underscore the need for comprehensive reform strategies that invest in change-oriented leadership development, address bureaucratic rigidity, and prioritize trust building. Policymakers and donors should incorporate trust building components into capacity building programs alongside technical development. Improved public service delivery, enhanced governance, and strengthened institutional resilience are potential societal benefits.

Originality/Value: This study extends organizational change theories to the underexplored context of post-conflict fragile states, providing empirical evidence on the mediating role of trust in one of the world's most challenging governance environments.