Before starting your submission, you may wish to review the full list of questions.

Download the PDF version of the submission form here to see all questions and prepare your responses before completing the online form.

Friday 29th May 2026 (Friday)
Applications close

June 2026
Judging period

1 July 2026 (Wednesday)
Finalists announced

5 August 2026
Winners announced at the Associations Matter Awards Dinner

ELIGIBILITY

This award is open exclusively to current financial members of NZSAE.

To be eligible:

• The nominee must be a current Chief Executive or Executive Director of a New Zealand membership organisation.
• The nominee must have held the role for a minimum of two (2) years.
• The nominee must be a current financial member of NZSAE at the time of nomination and remain a member through to the Awards presentation.

Both self-nominations and peer nominations are accepted.

Nominees who are not current financial members of NZSAE at the time of nomination must complete membership prior to submission closing in order for the nomination to proceed.

Board members of NZSAE and members of the judging panel are not eligible to enter.

Please provide a brief overview of the organisation, including:

Purpose and scope
Membership size
Staff size
Revenue band (optional – choose one):
☐ Under $1m
☐ $1m–$5m
☐ $5m–$10m
☐ Over $10m
Key challenges facing the organisation in recent years

Describe the strategic direction you have set or significantly reshaped within the past three years.

Please include:

Key strategic priorities established
What changed and why
How you positioned the organisation for long-term sustainability
Measurable outcomes resulting from this leadership

What measurable impact has your leadership had on the organisation?

• Please include evidence where possible, such as:
• Membership growth or retention trends
• Financial performance
• Programme development
• Advocacy or sector influence
• Cultural or organisational transformation
• Submissions should demonstrate outcomes, not intentions.

How have you strengthened governance practice, board alignment, accountability, or organisational clarity?

Examples may include:

• Improved reporting and transparency
• Clarified roles and responsibilities
• Risk oversight
• Strategic alignment between board and management

Describe a significant challenge faced during your leadership and how you responded.

Please outline:

• The nature of the challenge
• Decisions made
• How stakeholders were managed
• The outcome
• Lessons learned

Please provide two written referee statements (maximum 500 words each).

At least one referee must be the Board Chair, President, or equivalent governance leader.

For each referee, provide:

• Full name
• Position
• Organisation
• Relationship to nominee
• Email address

Upload referee statements below.