The posting
If you like fixing IT problems properly, improving things while you're there, and occasionally wondering how something was working in the first place, you'll probably feel at home here.
First Focus is looking for a Systems Administrator to join our Internal IT team in Manila. You'll help keep the systems, applications and technology our people rely on secure, reliable and generally behaving themselves.
This isn't a role where you'll spend all day resetting passwords and asking people whether they've tried turning it off and on again. You'll work across internal support, systems administration, application maintenance, security, automation and improvement projects, with plenty of opportunity to make things work better.
And because this is Manila, we'll mention the important bit early: day shift. Your evenings remain yours, whether that's for family, dinner, merienda, or the traditional Metro Manila pastime of calculating whether EDSA or C5 was actually the worse decision.
A little about First Focus
First Focus is an established MSP with teams across Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. We've spent more than 15 years growing the business by hiring capable people, trusting them to do good work and investing properly in their development.
We're collaborative, straightforward and fairly allergic to unnecessary corporate theatre. We want people to ask questions, share knowledge, take ownership and help make things better.
One of our values that particularly suits this role is Be the Solution. See a problem, take ownership, work through it and help get it sorted. Revolutionary stuff, apparently.
You can learn more about First Focus and our values at https://www.firstfocus.com.au/about-us/.
What you'll be doing
You'll support the ongoing operation and improvement of our internal IT environment, working with colleagues and vendors to keep our technology reliable, secure and useful.
Your day might include:
- Supporting internal users and resolving technical issues across our IT environment
- Administering and maintaining operating systems, applications and internal technology platforms
- Keeping systems and applications patched, updated and appropriately maintained
- Investigating technical and security issues and driving them through to resolution
- Managing support requests from initial investigation through to completion or appropriate escalation
- Planning and implementing changes with minimal disruption to the business
- Identifying repetitive tasks and opportunities for automation
- Supporting internal IT projects, deployments and technology improvements
- Maintaining clear, useful technical documentation and procedures
- Helping new employees get comfortable with First Focus systems and technology
- Working with vendors when external support or expertise is required
- Sharing knowledge and helping other team members develop their technical capability
- Keeping people informed when something isn't working, rather than disappearing mysteriously into the IT cave
- Providing occasional planned or reactive support outside normal business hours when required
The role has a strong emphasis on ownership, communication, sound judgement and continuous improvement, not simply closing something because you've managed to make the error message disappear.
Requirements
What we're looking for
We're looking for someone with a solid systems administration background who can troubleshoot independently, communicate clearly and recognise when something needs escalating.
You'll ideally bring:
- Solid experience in systems administration, infrastructure support or a similar technical role
- Experience supporting Microsoft-based business environments
- Good knowledge of Microsoft 365, Active Directory and modern workplace technologies
- Experience administering and maintaining business applications and systems
- Understanding of patching, system maintenance and security fundamentals
- Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
- Experience working with ticketing or service management systems
- An interest in automation, AI and finding smarter ways to handle repetitive work
- Good technical documentation habits
- Strong written and verbal English communication skills
- The ability to communicate comfortably with both technical and non-technical colleagues
- A collaborative attitude and willingness to share knowledge
You don't need to know everything. Nobody does, despite what certain LinkedIn profiles may suggest. What matters is that you're technically capable, curious, accountable and willing to keep learning.
Benefits
Why First Focus?
We're big believers in Never Stop Growing, which means development here involves considerably more than an annual reminder to complete an online course.
As an internal, full-time Philippines team member, you'll get:
- 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 resources
- HMO from day one, including one dependent (spouse) with dental cover
- Free Uprise access, including 1:1 coaching
- Day shift and weekends off*
- 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*
For hybrid working, our Metro Manila office is located at:
29th Floor, Robinsons Cyberscape Gamma, Topaz Road, Ortigas, Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Sound like your kind of role?
If you enjoy solving technical problems, taking ownership and finding smarter ways to make IT simpler and more reliable, we'd like to hear from you.
As part of the role, you'll need to attend our Pasig office when we have new starters, helping get their equipment and IT setup sorted so their first day involves considerably less staring at a login screen.
You don't need to tick every box. If you have a strong technical foundation, good judgement and the curiosity to keep learning, 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.
