Criteria

The Rising Leader Award requires candidates to demonstrate the following five criteria.

All cited contributions should clearly provide evidence of the impact, outcomes, and results of the nominee’s efforts:

Project Contributions & Measurable Outcomes
Demonstrates significant contributions to projects that have resulted in measurably positive outcomes.

Leadership & Influence
Demonstrates the ability to inspire and influence others within their organization, community or project teams.

Professional & Community Engagement
Actively engages in professional communities, contributing to the advancement of the project management profession.

Growth & Development
Shows commitment to ongoing professional development, such as certifications, training, or involvement with PMI.

Embodiment of PMI Values
The nominee actively embodies PMI’s culture values (Make It Easy, Together We Can, Embrace Curiosity, Be Welcoming, Aim Higher) in their work and inspires these values in others, fostering a positive and collaborative professional environment.

Award Rules & Conditions

• PMI reserves the right not to present the award for a particular year in which the evaluations completed indicate that nominations and supporting materials did not sufficiently demonstrate the stated criteria.
• Individuals located in the PMI China region may use a PMI ID in place of PMI membership when submitting a nomination, whether for themselves or someone else.
• After submission, nominations are reviewed for eligibility. If a nomination is deemed ineligible, it will be declined. Declined nominations cannot be revised or resubmitted during the same award season.
• Active campaigning for nominations by both nominator and nominee is prohibited to ensure fairness and impartiality in the nomination process. Examples of activities that are considered active campaigning include: 
  • Soliciting nominations directly from eligible nominators.
  • Promoting oneself through social media or other platforms specifically for PMI Eric Jenett “Person of the Year” Award candidacy.
  • Engaging in a “quid pro quo” arrangement for nominations (“I will nominate you, if you nominate me.”)
• Nominations which were submitted incomplete, incorrectly formatted, late, or in a language other than English will not be considered.

The PMI Rising Leader Award follows a multi-stage evaluation process

All submissions are rigorously reviewed by qualified volunteers and subject matter experts, leading to the selection of finalists and the selection of a winner.

Step 1 — Nomination
Applicants must submit a nomination package through the PMI Professional Awards platform, consisting of the elements listed below.

• Resume (Mandatory)
• Questionnaire (Mandatory)
• Evidence Pack (Optional)

Step 2 — Initial Evaluation
A team of trained PMI volunteers and subject matter experts reviews all submissions and identifies a list of shortlisted candidates.

Step 3 — Video Submission
PMI communicates with the selected candidates and requests a 10-minute recorded video presentation to be sent via the Awards Platform.

Step 5 — Rising Leader Award Winner
From the Regional Finalists, a candidate is selected as the overall winner of the Rising Leader Award. The winner is formally announced during the PMI Global Summit.

Resume
Consider the following guidelines:

• No longer than two pages using a 12-pt font size.
• It should be concise and action-oriented.
• Highlights impact through measurable results (%, time saved, cost avoided, number of people impacted).
• Focuses on what’s relevant to this award—leadership behaviors, organizational impact, community engagement, PMI involvement and PMI Culture.
• Includes key development highlights—certifications, training, or learning that show growth.

Questionnaire Template
Please answer each question clearly and concisely, with a maximum of 300 words per response. Use complete sentences and professional language. Focus on measurable outcomes, innovative approaches, and lessons learned. Provide specific examples or data where possible to illustrate impact.

• Describe a project where you took the lead or played a key role in its success. What measurable outcomes resulted from your contributions?
• How have you influenced or inspired your team, peers or stakeholders to achieve project or organizational goals?
• In what ways have you contributed to the project management community, within your organization or externally?
• What steps have you taken to advance your professional development?
• How do you demonstrate PMI’s values—Make It Easy, Together We Can, Embrace Curiosity, Be Welcoming, and Aim Higher—in your work or professional conduct?

Evidence Pack
You may submit up to three (3) short evidence items in a pdf or document format, to support your nomination. These items should provide direct verification of your leadership, project contributions, or community impact. Evidence should be concise, relevant, and distinct from your written questionnaire responses. Examples of this evidence may include:

• Letter of recommendation that provide various perspectives of the nominee’s contributions (e.g., supervisor, peer, client, community leader) The letter should contain a brief statement or document confirming the nominee’s leadership behaviors, contributions, and outcomes observed firsthand and a clear description of the nominee’s contributions that directly relate to the stated criteria for the award.
• Excerpt from a project closeout report or acceptance document naming or crediting the nominee.
• Screenshot of KPI dashboards, performance metrics, or progress reports (redacted as needed).
• Document with a list of links to short recordings of talks, presentations, or workshops led by the nominee, published articles, blogs, or contributions related to project management or community engagement.