Stratum Civil, a civil construction company on the Gold Coast, worked with Lynk Global to build a dedicated offshore team. It let them add capacity without piling on local overheads. Rather than outsource tasks, Stratum hired full-time offshore staff who work directly inside the business.

The challenge

Like many civil contractors in Australia, Stratum Civil was up against a tight labour market and rising salaries. Experienced local staff were hard to find, especially in accounting and estimating, and hiring costs made it harder to grow. Tender work was outpacing the team, and senior leaders were stuck on admin instead of growth.

Key challenges

• Hard to hire experienced local staff for key roles
• Rising salary costs in accounting and estimating
• Tender workload beyond the internal team's capacity
• Margin pressure from high fixed wages and overheads

The solution

Stratum built a dedicated offshore team through Lynk Global's direct hiring model. Each person works only for Stratum, uses Stratum's systems, and reports to Stratum's leaders, just like a local employee. The one difference is that they are based in Lynk Global's managed office in Manila.

The result is a team of 9 full-time offshore professionals built into the day-to-day running of the business.

Team structure

• Finance: 1 accountant and 1 bookkeeper
• Estimating: 2 estimators
• Project support: 1 project administrator
• Quality and planning: 2 QA officers and 2 planners

How the partnership works

Lynk Global handles

• Recruitment and shortlisting
• Employment contracts and compliance
• Payroll and statutory obligations
• A fully equipped office in Manila
• Ongoing HR and employee support

Stratum Civil manages

• Day-to-day tasks and priorities
• Performance and feedback
• Integration into their systems and workflows
• Direct reporting to leadership
• Team culture and development

Stratum also has a flexible 30-day notice arrangement, so they keep full control without a long lock-in.

The impact

What started as a fix for capacity quickly became a real advantage. The offshore team helped Stratum submit more tenders, tighten financial control, deliver projects better, and free up leaders to focus on growth instead of firefighting.

More tender capacity

Two dedicated estimators lifted the number of tenders Stratum could submit, without overloading senior staff. The business could chase more work, faster.

Stronger financial control

With a full-time accountant and bookkeeper working in Stratum's systems, the business got tighter cost tracking, faster reconciliations and more accurate reports.

Steadier operations

Dedicated QA officers and planners improved documentation, scheduling and oversight. That meant less rework and stronger compliance.

More leadership focus

The managing director could step back from daily pressure and spend more time on business development, clients and long-term planning.

Cost comparison

Against equivalent Australian salaries, Stratum cut payroll and overhead costs by up to 50 to 60 per cent across key roles.

Local vs offshore, at a glance

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

Local salary figures are indicative. They exclude superannuation, insurance, office space and onboarding, all of 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's partnership with Lynk Global shows how a civil construction business can add real capacity without paying for equivalent local hires. By adding dedicated support across finance, estimating, QA, planning and project admin, Stratum built a model it can scale, and improved performance across the board.

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, admin, QA and planning. Every team member is office-based, full-time and part of your day-to-day operations. Speak with our team to see what it could look like for your business.