Who can apply
Open to experienced project, programme, portfolio or transformation professionals. PMI membership/certification is not mandatory. Nominee should normally demonstrate at least five years of relevant professional experience.
PMI membership and certification are generally optional. Work must be authorised for submission and capable of evidencing outcomes. General and category-specific eligibility both apply.
Evidence to prepare
Two or more significant accomplishments from the last three years; quantified outcomes; leadership examples; stakeholder references; contribution to the profession; declaration of ethics/conduct.
Link each claim to a labelled exhibit, baseline and measurable result. Redact confidential and unnecessary personal data. The evidence pack is limited to 10 pages or equivalent.
Presentation template for this award
Use the Individual Professional Excellence template. It contains 15 editable slides with prompts suited to this award family, an outcomes table, evidence references and declarations.
The presentation supports the written nomination and evidence package. Follow the category requirements and any finalist invitation for the required format and timing.
How this award is evaluated
Scroll the table horizontally to see additional columns, if needed.
| Criterion | Weight | What the jury looks for |
|---|---|---|
| Project / programme outcomes & value | 25% | Quantified results attributable to the nominee’s leadership and contribution. |
| Leadership & influence | 20% | Evidence of leading teams, navigating ambiguity and influencing senior/complex stakeholders. |
| Project management excellence | 20% | Strong governance, decision-making, risk management, delivery discipline and professional judgement. |
| Innovation & problem solving | 10% | Distinctive approaches, adaptation or breakthrough problem solving. |
| Stakeholder & team impact | 10% | Trust, collaboration, team effectiveness and stakeholder outcomes. |
| Contribution to the profession | 10% | Mentoring, speaking, teaching, volunteering, publications or professional capability building. |
| Ethics & professional conduct | 5% | Integrity, transparency and responsible decision-making. |
Each criterion uses a 1–5 evidence scale. Recommended weighted score = Σ(weight × score ÷ 5). A 70/100 quality threshold informs jury judgement, with the option to confer no award.
How to apply
- Check eligibility and select this category. For a project, confirm that it is not entered in another competitive project or domain category.
- Prepare the common nomination and the category evidence listed above. Download a draft and attach the final, authorised package to an email when nominations open.
- The Secretariat acknowledges receipt, assigns an application ID and checks completeness, eligibility and classification.
- Three independent reviewers assess the evidence under the proposed 2027 review standard. The category jury moderates scores and identifies up to three finalists.
- Only shortlisted entrants receive fee or waiver instructions and an invitation to submit their final dossier and present.
- Attend the scheduled jury session. Format proposed for this category: 15-minute presentation and 15-minute Q&A.
- Verification, procedural review and ratification precede the 30 January 2027 announcement.
Post-shortlisting fee
Any payment applies to the further assessment process and does not guarantee a finalist award or winning outcome. Conference registration, travel and accommodation are separate.
View every category and the fee policyCategory guidance
This award should celebrate the profession, not only the scale of the nominee’s employer or projects. Assess evidence of individual contribution distinctly from team/organisation performance.
Before applying, check the final nomination window, geographic eligibility and fee or waiver terms. Category scoring criteria and weightings will be frozen before nominations open.