Professional staff occupy an essential role in universities, and yet they have received little attention in the existing French literature, despite the considerable changes afoot in academic institutions. Based on qualitative research consisting primarily of 43 semi-structured interviews, this article looks at representations of development practices affecting this category of university personnel. Applying a neo-institutional theoretical framework, the research explores the ways in which institutional pressures are shaping the professionalisation of professional staff as they seek to cement their legitimacy within universities.