Should you work at First Circle?
Probably, if you want Manila fintech and a route in from graduation. First Circle publishes a specific peso band for junior and entry-level roles, caps the hybrid schedule at two office days a week, puts senior compliance and sales-ops roles directly under the CEO and board, and explicitly welcomes fresh graduates into the finance track. The most recent funding on record is a $4.9M credit facility rather than an equity round, senior hires are asked to build functions without a team in place, entry-level finance work is described as repetitive before it becomes interesting, and we hold no verified employee reviews.
Read from at least 5 live roles, 5 full job descriptions and 1 funding round. No employee reviews, no ratings.
Good fit if
- Compensation for junior and entry-level roles is published as a specific peso band, not left vague.
- The hybrid schedule is capped at two office days a week, with the rest remote.
- Senior compliance and sales-ops roles report directly to the CEO and the board.
- Fresh graduates are explicitly welcomed into the finance track.
Think twice if
- Senior roles are asked to build functions and systems that do not fully exist yet, without a team in place.
- The compliance head role carries direct accountability for regulator outcomes, with zero findings framed as the success bar.
- Entry-level finance work is explicitly described as repetitive before it becomes interesting.
- The admin role sets a 60-day bar to make an entire function invisible to the rest of the team.
We can't tell you
- What managers are actually like day to day
- Attrition, tenure or promotion rates
- Whether the pace is sustainable
- Equity terms — no posting states them
What it pays
No active roles publish a salary range.
0 of 5 roles post a range
No role here publishes a salary range.
Where you'd sit
Of 0 roles that specify a setup.
No role states a work arrangement.
Who they're hiring
5 live roles across 2 teams.
What the job descriptions ask of you
A reading of how 5 postings are worded — not a score, and not comparable between companies.
Ownership End-to-end
Compliance roles are described as owning entire regulatory programs end-to-end.
“Own the bank's complete MORB compliance program”
Autonomy Self-directed
Postings repeatedly ask candidates to act and flag issues before being told.
“Deadlines are tracked and flagged proactively”
Structure Defined
Multiple roles reference formal regulatory frameworks and master registries rather than ad hoc process.
“fast-paced, structured environment”
Collaboration Cross-functional
Roles routinely partner across finance, legal, product, and sales functions.
“Work closely with Finance, Marketing, Product, and Customer Success”
The upside
Stated by First Circle in its own postings.
Compensation for junior and entry-level roles is published as a specific peso band, not left vague.
“Monthly base salary: PHP 25,000-28,000 depending on experience”
The hybrid schedule is capped at two office days a week, with the rest remote.
“Hybrid work set-up: 2 days per week in our BGC office; remote the rest of the time”
Senior compliance and sales-ops roles report directly to the CEO and the board.
“Report directly to the President/CEO and the Board's Risk and Compliance Committee”
Fresh graduates are explicitly welcomed into the finance track.
“Fresh graduates are welcome to apply!”
The trade-offs
Also from the postings — not complaints from employees.
Senior roles are asked to build functions and systems that do not fully exist yet, without a team in place.
“comfortable with ambiguity and working without a large team under you (yet)”
The compliance head role carries direct accountability for regulator outcomes, with zero findings framed as the success bar.
“BSP examinations result in zero material findings”
Entry-level finance work is explicitly described as repetitive before it becomes interesting.
“It's not always thrilling, but it's how you build judgment and credibility”
The admin role sets a 60-day bar to make an entire function invisible to the rest of the team.
“the team should no longer have to think about the admin”
Employee sentiment
No data yetWe hold no verified employee reviews for this company. Sentiment appears here only when it comes from verified employees — never from product or customer ratings, which measure something else.