Facilities Manager of the Year

Eligibility Criteria

Nominees: Nominees must be senior facilities management practitioners, typically 15 year’s experience or more, though they do not need to have “facilities manager” in their job title. For the purposes of this award, this includes anyone who organises, oversees, or coordinates the strategic and operational management of buildings and facilities in public or private organisations. Their role should ensure the effective functioning and stewardship of the facility’s physical assets, creating environments that are safe, sustainable, efficient, and productive for all occupants.

Submission requirements: Nominations must be submitted using this form, which is the official FMANZ awards nomination form. You must address all judging criteria and include a signed declaration.

FMANZ membership: As of 2026, you don’t need to be an FMANZ member to enter these awards. We welcome nominations from across the wider facilities management community, and the judging criteria place strong value on your contribution to the FM industry as a whole.

For this award, non-members are required to pay an entry fee of $350 +gst.

If any member of the nominated team is an FMANZ individual or corporate member, please list their name, role, and membership number or status. This is optional and will not affect eligibility.

Judges’ decision: The judges' decision to accept or decline any nomination is final.

Ineligibility: Judges, awards committee members, and FMANZ Board members are not eligible to be nominated.

Nomination limit: An individual may nominate only one person per year in this category.

Awards celebration: If shortlisted, the nominee agrees to attend the awards celebration at their own expense. If unable to attend, the nominee must discuss this with the awards committee.

Self-nomination: Self-nomination is not permitted in this category, but we strongly encourage you to connect with the individual you’re nominating to help ensure your entry is accurate, well-informed, and truly reflects their achievements. This collaboration will give your nomination the best chance of fully meeting the award criteria during judging.

Judging process: The second stage of judging will involve a 45-minute interview, and nominees must be available for this. The timing of interviews will be confirmed as soon as finalists are decided. If the judges determine that no nominations meet the required standard, no award will be given in that category.

Referee verification: Judges have the right to contact referees to validate any information provided. References may be followed up, especially if multiple nominations are ranked closely. 

Nominee continuity: Once nominated, a nominee cannot be removed from consideration. If a nominee departs from the organisation, team, or project after their nomination, they remain eligible to be judged and to receive the award, except in exceptional circumstances as determined by the awards committee.

Guidelines for nominators

To ensure your nomination is clear, strong, and stands out, please consider the following tips:

• Eligibility: Ensure the nominee meets all the eligibility criteria outlined above.
• Answer questions clearly: Read each question thoroughly and respond clearly, concisely, and directly. The explanatory notes provided for each question will help you understand what the judges are looking for.
• Provide supporting evidence: Back up your claims with examples and evidence. Quantified data, such as percentage improvements or cost savings, will strengthen your nomination.
• Highlight innovation & service excellence: Where relevant, provide details about innovative practices, exceptional service delivery, or significant achievements.
• Avoid jargon & abbreviations: Use clear language and avoid abbreviations or industry-specific terms that judges may not understand.
• Proofread your submission: Ensure your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct.
• Adhere to word limits: Stay within the prescribed word limit. Judges will disregard any content that exceeds this limit.
• Provide comprehensive information: The judges will assess your nomination solely based on the information provided, so be thorough and don’t assume they know anything beyond what’s written.
• Supplementary materials: You are encouraged to include additional supporting information, such as client references, feedback, performance appraisals, financial data, surveys, project descriptions, etc. All supplementary information will be treated confidentially.
• Review your nomination: Before submitting, have someone review your nomination to ensure it reads well and answers all criteria clearly.
• One nomination per nominee: Only one nomination form per nominee will be accepted in this category.

By following these guidelines, you’ll give your nomination the best chance for success. Good luck!

Please complete all mandatory fields as indicated by the red asterix.

Introduction: Summary statement about the nominee. (150 words max)

Provide a short, engaging overview of the nominee that captures who they are and why they stand out in facilities management. Highlight the essence of their contribution, their strengths, and what makes them worthy of recognition. This summary will be used when announcing shortlisted nominees at the awards celebration and in any promotional or publicity material.

The role: Describe how the nominee’s role sits within the organisation, and why the nominee should be recognised as Facilities Manager of the Year. (250 words max)

Describe the nominee’s role and how it fits within their team and the wider organisation. Explain the scope of their responsibilities and the impact of their work on people, places and organisational performance. Highlight the achievements, qualities or contributions that set them apart as an outstanding facilities manager, and outline why they deserve to be recognised as Facilities Manager of the Year.

Personal qualities: Explain how the nominee’s personal qualities show commitment to facilities management and service delivery. Provide examples of how these personal qualities have helped deliver value to the organisation through development, innovation and leadership. (250 words max)

Describe the personal qualities that make the nominee an outstanding performer in facilities management. Explain how their attitude, character and approach demonstrate commitment to service delivery and excellence. Provide examples of how these qualities have enabled leadership, innovation or positive change, and outline the value this has brought to the organisation.

Achievements: Outline key milestones and outcomes achieved in 2025/26. What aspects of these achievements were noteworthy in the context of the organisation’s type and the size of the facilities managed? What role did the nominee play in these achievements? (250 words max)

Describe the major outcomes the nominee delivered in 2025/26 and explain why these achievements stand out for the organisation and the facilities they manage. Include examples such as innovation, cost savings, efficiency gains, process or service improvements or successful projects. Highlight the nominee’s specific contribution and how their work created tangible value for the organisation.

Development: Give examples of how the nominee has improved performance within the FM team and or organisation through sharing knowledge and experiences, and mentoring. (250 words max)

Describe how the nominee has used their training, experience and insights to support the growth and performance of others. Provide examples of mentoring, knowledge sharing or initiatives they have led that have lifted capability within the FM team or across the organisation. Explain how this contribution has resulted in positive change, improved workflows or strengthened facilities management practice.

FM Industry and FMANZ: Describe how the nominee supports and represents the FM industry in NZ through involvement in activities and groups that seek to develop and support FM. (250 words)

Explain how the nominee has demonstrated leadership and commitment to the wider FM profession beyond their own organisation. Provide examples of their involvement in industry activities such as presenting at events, contributing to professional groups, participating in FMANZ committees or initiatives, or supporting sector development through collaboration and knowledge sharing. Highlight how their actions have helped uplift the profession and strengthen the FM community in New Zealand.

Mandatory supporting documentation

Please provide at least one referee and up to 5 high-resolution images of nominee. 

• One headshot is required.
• Other images showing the nominee in action at work or engaged in FM-related activities.

Images should be clear, high-quality, and suitable for publication. Headshots should be portrait orientation; action photos may be landscape or portrait.

Disclaimer: By submitting photos you confirm that all subjects give their permission for their image/s to be used in awards promotion activity on FMANZ comms channels including social media.

Declaration

By submitting this nomination form, I certify that all information provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I permit judges to validate any information provided in this submission with referees provided and acknowledge that all information within the submission will be kept confidential.