Construction offshore staffing means adding an overseas-based employee to your team for recurring office work such as estimating, drafting, project administration or bookkeeping. In Lynk's managed staffing model, the person works from our Manila office, in your systems and under your day-to-day direction. Lynk handles recruitment, Philippine employment and local workplace support.
This guide helps Australian construction businesses choose a suitable first role, prepare a hiring brief and understand the responsibilities and costs. For the service itself, see managed offshore construction staffing.
Which construction roles can work offshore?
Start with work that can be explained, shared securely and reviewed remotely. The candidate's experience must match the projects and responsibilities involved.
- Estimators: quantity take-offs, BOQs, quote comparisons and tender preparation using your rates and review process. For earthworks and drainage, see civil estimators.
- Drafters: drawing production, modelling, revisions and documentation in the required software, with your design team's direction and approval.
- Project administrators: document registers, RFIs, purchase orders, scheduling records and follow-ups.
- Contract administrators: procurement and commercial administration within the authority you assign. Contractual decisions and approvals stay with your authorised team.
- Construction accounts staff: invoices, reconciliations, accounts administration and job-cost records within your finance controls.
Site inspections, physical construction work and responsibilities requiring local attendance need a separate local arrangement. An offshore staffing agreement does not transfer technical or commercial sign-off to Lynk.
Choose the first role from your recurring workload
List the tasks your team repeats each week. Note the volume, systems used, deadlines and who checks each output. Group work that needs a similar skill set: a tender backlog may point to an estimator, while drawing revisions may call for a drafter.
Check that there is enough ongoing work and that someone can supervise it. If you only need one estimate or a defined drawing package, a project-based provider may be a better fit. Compare project outsourcing, dedicated staffing and other hiring options.
What to include in your hiring brief
- Projects: your trade or discipline, project types and the work the person will support.
- Outputs: the five most important recurring tasks and a permitted example of a good result.
- Skills: essential software, version, project experience and any Australian experience required.
- Management: the day-to-day supervisor, technical reviewer and escalation contact.
- Hours: your location, required overlap, tender deadlines and daylight-saving expectations.
- Budget and timing: the intended staffing budget, target start and any flexibility.
A few clear bullet points are enough to start. Separate essential skills from processes you can teach after hiring. Send your role requirements to Lynk.
Who manages the person and checks the work?
Your business sets priorities, provides software and project information, explains its standards and reviews the output. Your authorised people approve estimates, drawings, payments and external submissions.
Lynk handles recruitment, Philippine employment, payroll, local HR, the Manila office, equipment and workplace support under the agreed service. See the hiring process and division of responsibilities.
What does offshore construction staffing cost?
Use the role pricing guide and team calculator to plan. Check the role, experience level and any allowances shown beside the figure. Indicative budgets are not fixed candidate quotes.
Compare the monthly staffing fee with what it includes. Keep setup fees, the refundable deposit and specialist software separate, and allow for your own management time. Confirm the candidate-specific fee and agreement before hiring.
How long does hiring take?
A search, interviews, any assessment, the candidate's notice period and onboarding each affect the start date. Agree a realistic schedule for your brief. A shortlist date is not a guaranteed start date, and a past placement result does not promise the same timing for another role.
Can the team work Australian hours?
Agree the working schedule and required overlap before hiring. Include your Australian state and any daylight-saving changes. Plan the person’s workload and deadlines around those agreed hours. The Manila and Australian working-hours guide explains what to check.
Prepare the first week before the start date
Arrange named access, licences, templates and a first set of tasks. Choose a manageable piece of work and book review time with the supervisor. Expand responsibility as the person demonstrates the required capability. For estimating, use the first-month onboarding plan.