The posting
If you're the sort of person who can keep engineers, clients, vendors, timelines and budgets moving in the same direction, even when they occasionally have other ideas, this could be your kind of role.
First Focus is looking for an experienced Project Manager based in Manila to support technology projects in the US, working US business hours.
You'll manage technical projects from planning through to completion, coordinating resources, schedules, budgets and stakeholders across multiple teams. You'll work closely with US-based clients and colleagues, making sure projects stay organised, risks are surfaced early and everyone knows what needs to happen next.
And because we'd rather mention this now than hide it somewhere around paragraph seventeen, this role works US hours from Manila.
A little about Us
We're Australia's #1 MSP (Cloud Tango, 9 years running), with over 500 staff across 4 countries. This role supports our parent company's operations in the US, working closely with their teams to successfully deliver technology projects.
You'll be part of our Philippines team while collaborating regularly with colleagues, clients and technical resources in the US. It's a genuinely international role, rather than the kind where "global exposure" means receiving the occasional email from another time zone.
One of our values particularly relevant to this role is Win Together. Great project delivery depends on getting clients, engineers, vendors and stakeholders working towards the same outcome. You can learn more about First Focus and our values at https://www.firstfocus.com.au/about-us/
Requirements
What you'll be doing
You'll coordinate and deliver multiple technical projects, taking ownership from initial planning through execution, completion and review. The role has a strong focus on project execution, client communication, resource coordination and keeping delivery aligned with scope, budget and schedule.
You'll be responsible for things like:
- Planning, coordinating and delivering multiple technical projects
- Developing project plans, schedules and resource requirements
- Taking ownership of projects from initiation through to completion
- Coordinating engineers and other technical resources across project activities
- Managing competing priorities, dependencies and deadlines
- Monitoring project progress against agreed scope, schedule and budget
- Identifying project risks, issues and roadblocks early, preferably before they acquire their own meeting series
- Managing and communicating changes to scope, timelines or project requirements
- Providing clear and regular updates to clients, technical teams and management
- Acting as a key liaison between US-based clients, project teams, vendors and other stakeholders
- Maintaining accurate project documentation and following agreed PMO processes
- Coordinating post-project reviews and identifying opportunities to improve future delivery
- Helping ensure projects are delivered efficiently and commercially
The nature of technical project work means there may occasionally be extended hours around critical deadlines or cutovers, and some travel may be required depending on project needs.
What we're looking for
We're looking for a Project Manager who understands technical project delivery and is comfortable working with engineers and technology teams.
You don't need to be the person configuring the infrastructure, but you should understand technical conversations well enough to ask sensible questions, identify dependencies and recognise when "we'll sort that bit out later" deserves further investigation.
Ideally, you'll bring:
- 3+ years of relevant project management experience, preferably within IT, managed services, infrastructure or another technical environment
- Proven experience managing projects from initiation through to successful completion
- Experience managing project scope, schedules, budgets and resources
- Experience coordinating cross-functional technical teams
- Strong client and stakeholder management skills
- Confidence managing multiple projects and competing priorities at the same time
- Experience with project management tools and established PM methodologies
- Strong organisation, planning and time-management skills
- Excellent written and verbal English communication
- Good commercial awareness, particularly around scope, resources and project delivery
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt when project requirements change
- Strong attention to detail, without requiring a 45-minute meeting to discuss the formatting of the project tracker
- Comfortable working US business hours on an ongoing basis
- Experience working with US-based clients, stakeholders or distributed international teams would be highly regarded
A bachelor's degree in Business, Information Systems, Engineering or a related discipline is useful, although equivalent professional experience is absolutely relevant.
Project management certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, CAPM or Lean Six Sigma, as well as ITIL certification, are also highly regarded.
You'll probably enjoy this role if...
You're organised without being rigid. You communicate early rather than waiting for a small problem to become a fascinatingly large one. You're comfortable coordinating people who don't report directly to you, and you can have clear conversations with clients when timelines, scope or priorities need attention.
You'll also need to be comfortable working with stakeholders across cultures and time zones. Clear communication matters enormously here, particularly when your project team and client aren't sitting conveniently around the same table.
We value people who ask questions, challenge assumptions constructively and take ownership. Be the Solution is another of our values you'll see regularly at First Focus. Bringing a problem to the table is fine. Bringing some ideas about how we might solve it is even better.
Benefits
Why First Focus?
We take Never Stop Growing seriously. You'll be working with experienced technical professionals across international teams, while having access to structured learning and development through First Focus.
As a full-time Philippines team member, you'll receive:
- Hybrid working arrangements
- 10 paid study days per year, with exam fees paid and pay rises for certifications, conditions apply
- Weekly internal training and access to our learning library
- HMO from day one, including one dependent with dental cover
- Free access to Uprise, including 1:1 coaching
- 25 paid leave days annually
- ₱20,000 employee referral program
- ₱10,000 MVP award
- Social events, End-of-FY celebrations and Christmas parties
- Loyalty bonuses*
Our Metro Manila offices are located at:
29th Floor, Robinsons Cyberscape Gamma, Topaz Road, Ortigas, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines
26th Floor, Axis Tower One Building, Filinvest Ave, Alabang, Muntinlupa
Sound like your kind of project?
If you're good at bringing people, priorities and technical delivery together, and you're comfortable working US hours from Manila, we'd like to hear from you.
You don't need to tick every single box. If you've successfully managed technical projects, communicate exceptionally well and understand that "on time, on budget and within scope" requires considerably more than typing those words into a project plan, send us your application.
Neurodiversity: First Focus welcomes applications from Neurodiverse candidates. We recommend & appreciate disclosure along with the application so that a copy of our Neurodiversity Statement can be provided outlining the flexible options we can offer to best showcase your skills.
AI in Recruitment: We use AI-assisted recruitment tools to support application review. These tools do not make hiring decisions. All applications are handled by our recruitment team in compliance with the Philippine Data Privacy Act.
