Stratum Civil: How a Gold Coast Contractor Built a Person Offshore Team

Stratum Civil, a civil construction company based on the Gold Coast, partnered with Lynk Global to build a dedicated offshore team that increased capacity without inflating local overheads. Rather than outsourcing tasks, Stratum chose to hire full-time offshore staff integrated directly into their business.

The challenge

Like many civil contractors across Australia, Stratum Civil was facing a tight labour market, rising salary expectations and increasing pressure on internal capacity. Experienced local staff were hard to find, particularly in accounting and estimating, and the cost of hiring was making it harder to scale in line with demand. At the same time, tender workload was exceeding the capacity of the internal team, and senior leadership was being pulled into administrative tasks instead of focusing on growth.

Key challenges

• Difficulty hiring experienced local staff across key roles
• Rising salary costs in accounting and estimating
• Tender workload exceeding internal team capacity
• Margin pressure caused by high fixed wages and overheads
  

The solution

Stratum Civil built a dedicated offshore team through Lynk Global’s direct hiring model. Each team member worked exclusively for Stratum Civil, operated within Stratum’s systems and workflows, and reported directly to Stratum’s leadership team, just like any local employee. The difference was that they were based in Lynk Global’s managed office in Manila.

The result was a team of 9 full-time offshore professionals embedded into the day-to-day operations of the business.

Team structure

• Finance: 1 Accountant and 1 Bookkeeper
• Estimating: 2 Estimators
• Project Support: 1 Project Administrator
• Quality & Planning: 2 QA Officers and 2 Planners‍

‍How the partnership works

Lynk Global handles

• Recruitment and candidate shortlisting
• Employment contracts and legal compliance
• Payroll and statutory obligations
• Fully equipped office space in Manila
• Ongoing HR support and employee management
  

Stratum Civil manages

• Day-to-day task allocation and priorities
• Performance management and feedback
• Integration into internal systems and workflows
• Direct reporting lines to leadership
• Team culture and professional development
  

Stratum Civil also operates on a flexible 30-day notice arrangement, giving them full control without a long-term lock-in.

The impact

What began as a solution to capacity constraints quickly became a strategic advantage across the business. The offshore team helped Stratum Civil increase tender capacity, tighten financial controls, improve project delivery and free senior leadership to focus on growth rather than operational firefighting.

Increased tender capacity

Two dedicated estimators significantly increased the number of tenders Stratum Civil could submit without overloading senior staff, allowing the business to pursue more opportunities with greater speed and confidence.

Stronger financial control

With a full-time accountant and bookkeeper operating within Stratum’s systems, the business gained tighter cost tracking, faster reconciliations and more accurate reporting.

Improved operational stability

Dedicated QA officers and planners improved documentation quality, scheduling accuracy and overall project oversight, helping reduce rework and strengthen compliance.

More leadership focus

The Managing Director was able to shift focus away from day-to-day operational pressure and spend more time on business development, client relationships and long-term planning.

Cost comparison

Compared to equivalent Australian salaries, Stratum Civil reduced payroll and overhead costs by up to 50 to 60 per centacross key roles.

Local vs offshore cost snapshot

• Estimator: $90,000 to $140,000 per year locally vs $2,800 to $3,500 per month offshore
• Accountant: $80,000 to $120,000 per year locally vs $2,800 to $3,500 per month offshore
• QA Officer: $75,000 to $100,000 per year locally vs $2,800 to $3,500 per month offshore
• Planner: $85,000 to $130,000 per year locally vs $2,800 to $3,500 per month offshore
  

Local salary figures are indicative and exclude superannuation, insurance, office space and onboarding costs, which are included in Lynk Global’s monthly fee.

Client feedback

“Engaging Lynk Global was a game-changer. Their team immediately took control of our invoicing, payments, and reconciliations, lifting a huge burden off our team. Our reports are now more accurate, our operations are far more efficient, and we’ve significantly reduced our overheads. It’s been a smart, stress-free solution.”

— Tim, Managing Director, Stratum Civil Construction

Outcome summary

Stratum Civil’s partnership with Lynk Global shows how civil construction businesses can build real capacity without taking on the cost of equivalent local hires. By adding dedicated support across finance, estimating, QA, planning and project administration, the business created a scalable model that improved performance across multiple functions.

Key outcomes

• 9 offshore hires
• Up to 60% cost reduction
• Around $3.5K per role per month
• 30-day notice flexibility
  

Looking to build capacity without inflating local overheads?

Lynk Global helps Australian construction businesses build dedicated offshore teams across estimating, finance, administration, QA and planning. Every team member is office-based, full-time and integrated into your day-to-day operations. Speak with our team to explore what this could look like for your business.

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