The Leader Award
Sponsored by Signs Express for 2025
Who is The Leader award for?
Someone who deserves special recognition for having steered or guided others in a managerial role of some kind. The winner of this award will be a shining example of what a good leader looks like.
Who is eligible for The Leader award?
Any marketer who has led a team before, who lives or works in Norfolk, and identifies as woman, non-binary, or femme in a way that’s important to them.
How is The Leader award judged?
The nominations for this award will ideally be submitted by individuals who have been led by the nominee – the shortlist will then be marked by an external panel out of 25 – judging criteria linked here.
SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION
Our nomination forms are made up of purely qualitative questions – this means that your entry is only as good as the effort you put into it. Bear in mind that the judges may not know your nominee or their business, so please give us full context whenever relevant. Please read our nomination entry guidance for more support.
Before you begin your nomination
Have you got all of the nominee's details?
You'll be asked for their full name, preferred pronouns (check their LinkedIn or leave blank if unsure), where they currently work, what link they have to Norfolk, as well as the URL for their LinkedIn profile (if they have one).
Have you made notes about their suitability for the award?
You'll be asked to explain why this nominee is worthy of winning the award, as well as provide examples of how they meet the description - read more about what's required in our entry guidelines.
Have you gathered the necessary evidence to support your nomination?
To achieve the top marks for your nomination, it's key that you provide evidence to your claims. We recommend gathering any results or details you need for the nomination before starting - you can find out more about what we mean by 'evidence' at the bottom of our entry guidelines.
Have you got testimonials or links to the nominee's work?
There are a bonus 4 marks up for grabs for testimonials, relevant links to the nominee's work and 'further supporting evidence'. Have you sent an email to your colleagues asking for a quote about the nominee? Or can you access customer reviews on their website?
About the sponsor
Established for over 30 years Signs Express is dedicated to delivering our customers’ innovative signs and graphics solutions. We interpret your vision and advise on the best visual solutions to bring your brand to life.
Signs Express is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of its customers. With over 60 centres across the UK & Ireland, we enjoy a national reputation for providing quality products and supreme customer service.
We combine our total coverage with local knowledge to offer our clients the most effective sign solutions.
The Leader 2024 winner
Lucill Curtis, University of East Anglia
The following excerpt is from Lucill’s original nomination:
“Through Lucill’s direction, the Business School at UEA is one of the highest performers at the university and through her leadership, the school is seeing growth in an area that in other universities is either stagnating or contracting. Her direction has enabled the Marketing group to increase its offering across three new degrees, which will open new opportunities to students both domestically and internationally.“
The Leader 2023 winner
Hannah Payne, Pivotal
The following excerpt is from Hannah’s original nomination:
“Hannah Payne is truly the heart and soul of Pivotal. Starting as a PA, she worked her way up to become a Director and shareholder, showing us all that with dedication and passion, we can achieve great things. Her story is one that inspires everyone on the team.
Hannah is the kind of leader who genuinely cares about her team. She’s always there to help us stay focused, even when times get tough. Her warm and caring personality makes it easier for us to face challenges, and she’s always ready to listen and make sure everyone feels valued.”
FAQs
Who is eligible for the awards?
The individual awards are open to women, non-binary folk, and anyone who is femme in a way that's important to them - the individual must live or work in Norfolk, and be connected to marketing by work, interest, or study. The Ally award is open to any business in Norfolk.
Can previous winners enter again?
Any of our 7 winners from 2023 cannot win the same category as last year, but they are able to win a different category.
How are the awards judged?
Nominees will be whittled down to a shortlist by representatives of the Norfolk Women's Marketing Network advisory board, before handing the judging of the finalists to an external panel. You can read more about our judging criteria here.
Can I self-nominate?
You can definitely self-nominate for any of the awards, but please note that nominations for certain categories would carry more weight coming from another person.
Can I nominate the same person for multiple awards?
You certainly can! Individuals can be nominated for multiple categories and, in theory, could win multiple awards.
Can I edit my nomination after I've submitted it?
Unfortunately not, if you would like to change the content of your application, you will have to submit another nomination entry.
Can we nominate members of the NWMN advisory board?
The board made a group decision to be excluded from all nominations. Therefore, the following people are not eligible to win an award: Grace Appleby, Hannah Moody, Sophie May, Jess Ford, Nikki Lamb. Amira Bird, and Amie Marie.
Nominations close in
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
26th March
Nominations open
22nd May
Nominations close
3rd July
Shortlists released
7th August
Finalists released
25th September
Celebration event