Hiring A Project Manager Overseas: What To Consider

It’s not new for companies and individuals to need a project finishing overseas, whether it’s a chain company expanding globally or a property developer looking to expand their portfolio overseas into more lucrative area’s, but with that being said this means they need a project manager in this locations to ensure that everything is going smoothly and can act as not only a point of contact but their eyes and ears throughout the processes that they can’t be there for whether it’s personal affairs, visa complications or business elsewhere.

Hiring a project manager overseas can be daunting, but there are ways in which you can ensure that you are picking the right company or individual for the job. Continue reading to find out more.

Communication vs Fluency

While in an ideal situation, you would be buying a property or wanting to undergo a new project in a country that shares your language, but that’s not always the case or the most profitable move, so there is the consideration of communication vs fluency.

Natural language barriers move beyond words and meanings to nuances, humour, slang and so forth, which can be halting in times such as negotiations with stakeholders. However, this won’t be the case for every single overseas PM, so it’s finding a candidate who can understand the English language beyond fluency, so as not to hinder negotiations with contractors and stakeholders.

With that being said, it might also be very demanding of yourself to over-communicate what you want; therefore, look for a PM that are proactively loud, naturally provides you with information without you asking and doesn’t make you feel like you need to reach out constantly, removing some of that pre-disposed anxiety on these projects.

Cultural Work Philosophy

Different countries tend to have different approaches to both hierarchy and authority. In some cultures, it is considered disrespectful to tell a boss “no” or “that deadline is impossible.” This can lead to a PM saying “Yes, we will try” when they actually mean “No, it’s impossible.” You want to ensure that there is mutual respect and a PM who can be transparently honest with you to avoid disappointment down the line. 

As you are not there to speak to the contractors, deal with late deliveries or see how fast the builders are completing each stage of the project, you need a PM you can trust to tell you how it is and not feed empty promises to not appear disrespectful. You need a “driver,” not a “passenger.” During interviews, ask for examples of when they spotted a risk and acted on it without waiting for permission. This is another way to build that layer of trust.

Time Zone Logistics

Some areas are not an issue if there is an hour or two difference, but some places in the world there could be a 5 to even 11 hour time difference, which is not ideal for communication or ‘approvals’. Therefore, you must ensure there is at least a 3 to 4-hour overlap between the PM’s working hours and your local headquarters. Without this, the feedback loop takes 24 hours for every single question.

Be wary of hiring someone who is working a “graveyard shift” (e.g., 9 PM to 5 AM their time). Long-term, this leads to burnout and a decline in decision-making quality. As trust naturally builds, you might be able to delay specific communication during simple projects, allowing them to commit their normal working hours to finishing the project.

Legal and Compliance

A huge perk of hiring a PM overseas is that they should already be extremely familiar with the legal system that is foreign to you. Therefore, while you want to be aware of any legal and compliance issues to ensure that everything is up to standard, it removes a lot of pressure for yourself to enforce it from overseas.

You must ensure that you trust your PM to follow all of the proper legal procedures during the project, such as the PM understanding and being legally bound by your region’s data privacy laws (like GDPR or CCPA). This is critical since a PM often has “admin” access to all your tools and sensitive data.

Therefore, ensure that not only yourself is up to date with the majority of legal considerations, but your PM can be trusted to make the right decisions based on legal compliance while you are not there or well-informed.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a PM overseas, there are alot of considerations to make before you choose a single candidate, from their ability to communicate with stakeholders and contractors on your behalf, to trust that they can legally comply on your behalf through the entire project, start to finish. 

This might be a lengthy process to ensure that you are choosing a PM that you trust, but you can ensure that taking the time with the hiring process is worth it in the long run. If in the end you feel as though you need to be close to the project, contact an immigration lawyer to help with the visa process.