‘Young Achiever’ is a fitting accolade for Tamzin Letele, a talented leader on major commercial construction projects and a strong, passionate role model to other women and Pasifika people in the construction industry.
In 2022, Tamzin was named the NZ Property Council’s ‘Young Achiever of the Year’. As well as celebrating her contribution to the industry across major commercial, residential regeneration and development projects, the award recognised her outstanding commitment to grow and develop the people around her and actively give back to her community.
Tamzin is a Pasifika mother-of-three, and a quantity surveyor with more than 15 years’ commercial experience.
She first joined Fletcher Construction as a cadet, then returned for a time at the start of the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) project. She’s now with us for her third stint, this time as a Commercial Manager for Buildings where she oversees the head claim and reinstatement works for the NZICC.
Alongside her busy role, Tamzin makes time to support the growth and development of construction industry up-and-comers, and continues to be an active mentor to Māori and Pasifika women. Having experienced first-hand the challenges that come with being a minority on-site, she says it’s always been her goal to support and guide those from diverse and challenging backgrounds.
A founding member of the Property Council of New Zealand Diversity Committee, Tamzin is committed to supporting diversity growth within the industry to adequately represent the diversity of Aotearoa. She is pleased to see progress being made around acceptance and inclusion since she started in the industry.
“We now have over 50 per cent wāhine across the NZICC commercial site team, that’s a career-defining moment,” Tamzin says.
Throughout her career, Tamzin has been keenly aware of areas to further develop herself to maximise her role performance and contribution. She holds a Bachelor of Construction and a Graduate Certificate of Social Impact. Tamzin has also completed Social Return on Investment Practitioner training, along with being a mediation teacher and learning the Samoan language. She is a serial house-renovator, fervent about sustainability and believes in actively giving back to her community.
