PHP Project Manager

Benefits: Competitive salary Location Remote Experience Level Senior Level (5 to 8 or more years of experience) Role Overview This hybrid Technical Program Manager (TPM) and development-focused Technical Account Manager (TAM) role supports backend and platform initiatives within a fast-paced technology ecosystem. Positioned as an execution partner to the Technical Director and Senior Backend Developer, this individual acts as a key bridge between technical leadership, cross-functional teams, and offshore/distributed engineering teams. This role is highly suited for a technically strong professional from an IT services or consulting background who can review backend code, govern third-party integrations, and coordinate end-to-end technical delivery. Key Responsibilities Backend & Engineering Support • Support the development, optimization, and maintenance of robust backend services and APIs built using PHP and Laravel. • Review backend code implementations, database schemas, and architectural changes for performance, correctness, and maintainability. • Perform advanced debugging and system-level troubleshooting of backend platforms in development and production environments. • Act as a technical backup and execution partner to backend software engineers during critical delivery phases. Onsite-Offshore & Cross-Team Delivery • Direct, coordinate, and align technical task execution across onsite and distributed/offshore engineering teams. • Translate strategic architectural direction from the Tech Director into highly structured, actionable requirements and task breakdowns for offshore development pods. • Review and audit incoming software deliverables from offshore teams to ensure high quality, complete testing, and alignment with organizational standards. Platform Integration & Technical Account Management • Coordinate and architect complex third-party system integrations, including platforms such as lead-generation, customer relationship management (CRM), and telephony APIs. • Partner with backend engineers to ensure integrations are reliable, observable, self-healing, and well-documented. • Proactively identify integration risks, data flow bottlenecks, and API failure scenarios early in the lifecycle. Production Support & Observability • Monitor system health, API workloads, and backend application performance natively within Google Cloud Platform (GCP). • Support incident management processes and troubleshoot production outages alongside DevOps and site reliability engineers. • Maintain operational playbooks, troubleshooting runbooks, and detailed API documentation to capture and share technical knowledge. Required Qualifications • 5 to 8 or more years of experience in software engineering, technical delivery, or Technical Account Management (TAM) roles. • Strong professional background working within IT Services or Management Consulting environments. • Extensive experience utilizing an onsite-offshore delivery model to manage and coordinate distributed development teams. • Solid programming knowledge of PHP and Laravel frameworks, with the ability to review code and act as a technical backup. • Demonstrated experience building and supporting RESTful APIs and complex third-party platform integrations. • Hands-on experience working with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) or modern AWS environments. • Proficiency working with relational databases, including MySQL, MSSQL, or PostgreSQL. • Experience managing asynchronous job queues and background workers, such as Redis or Laravel Horizon. • Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and automated CI/CD pipelines, such as GitLab CI/CD. • High-level analytical, debugging, and system-level troubleshooting capabilities. Preferred Qualifications • Prior experience supporting integration-heavy, lead-generation, or high-volume transactional communication platforms. • Practical experience with cloud-based analytics pipelines and data warehouses, such as BigQuery or Looker. • Hands-on programming experience with Python. • Exposure to Infrastructure as Code (Terraform) or container orchestration (Kubernetes). • Basic Linux administration and shell scripting capabilities. Core Skills & Attributes • Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage diverse stakeholder expectations and act as a development-based Account Manager. • Outstanding leadership capability to coordinate, motivate, and direct offshore development teams. • Ability to bridge business objectives, client requirements, and deep backend engineering technicalities. • Self-motivated and comfortable operating with minimal supervision in a highly collaborative, fast-paced environment. This is a remote position. Established in 2004, Smart Tech Skills is a top technology and professional services firm specializing in innovative technologies. Headquartered in Marlborough, MA, the company effectively addresses clients’ technology needs nationwide, making advanced technology management easier.