Fellowship Nominations
The awarding of a Fellowship to the New Zealand Institute of Intelligence Professionals is the highest individual honour the Institute bestows. It recognises a career of enduring excellence, commitment and influence within the intelligence profession, and can be recognition of contributions made both in New Zealand and overseas. As such, the Fellowship Award is not necessarily presented every year, nor is it limited to a single recipient in any given year. Awards are granted solely on the merit of the nominations received, and the standard of excellence demonstrated.
Fellowship is more than recognition of time served; it is acknowledgment of a professional whose work has elevated the performance of those around them, contributed meaningfully to the broader intelligence community, and set standards that others aspire to. These individuals are known not only for their own achievements, but for the tangible, lasting impact they’ve had across teams, organisations, and the sector as a whole.
Nomination Process
A nomination can be made at any point through the year, but only those that are received at least 28 days prior to the Annual Awards night will be considered for awarding in that year. Once nominations have been closed, each submission will be considered on it’s own merit by the Awards sub-committee in accordance with the NZIIP Awards Process. Those that are scored 75% or higher will be put forward to the Board for consideration. To be granted the Award, the nomination must receive a unanimous vote of Board Members present at that Board meeting.
The bar for this award is high. Successful nominations have clearly articulated:
- What the nominee achieved;
- How their work brought value to their teams, organisations, or the sector;
- Where their influence has had broad or lasting impact;
- Who supports this nomination—multiple voices are encouraged to show the nominee’s professional reach and peer recognition.
The nomination should assume that not all Board members will be familiar with the nominee’s career or contributions, regardless of how long they have served in the intelligence community. Following review by the Awards sub-committee, the nomination must receive a unanimous vote from the Board members present in order to be approved. The submission should go beyond a summary of roles or titles. The Board is not seeking a list of positions held, but rather a narrative overview of the nominee’s professional journey which is supported by specific examples of meaningful achievements, contributions to the profession, and leadership across the sector. A strong nomination will present clear, verifiable evidence of impact, rather than rely on the nominee’s reputation or profile alone.
How to Submit
Given the depth of writing and research required for a nomination to be successful, we accept them at any point throughout the year. The cut-off date for consideration in any given year is 28 days before that year’s Annual Awards Night (typically held in November). There is no specific form to be used, however there is a limit of 4 sides of A4. Once the submission is written, please uploadas either a document or pdf using the box below. If you have any further questions on the process, please contact awards@nziip.org.nz.
Recognition of Classified Achievements
To ensure inclusion across the intelligence sector, the NZIIP Awards process also aims to recognise those staff working in roles across the intelligence community that cannot receive public praise. Nominees are considered by a suitable cleared panel against the same criteria as unclassified awards and are presented privately by the appropriate agency head.
To make a classified submission, please email awards@nziip.org.nz and provide an email address and details of which system/classification you wish to use for your submission. We will then arrange for the form to be sent to you.