Kate Johnston, Planning & Performance Manger at Airbus Australia Pacific

What is your Job?

 I lead our planning and performance team who are responsible for the end-to-end budgeting and performance tracking of the business. Our key focus is to support all levels of the business in making the right strategic decisions for the company.

What does a normal day look like for you?

 My day-to-day is defined by agility and strategic support. Depending on the budgeting cycle, I pivot between leading the team through budgeting and forecasting phases to set the financial roadmap, providing the financial prowess for bids and tenders to secure new business as well as acting as the strategic support for stakeholders at every level—from mentoring my team to brief the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) or translating Global Head Office directives into local action

Crazy story from work?

I was awarded an amazing opportunity within the Airbus International finance program to visit our head office in Toulouse for a week along with 9 other finance colleges from around the world. Seeing the production line for the A350 and our satellite production site will be a standout within my career and really puts into perspective why we do what we do.

What is your favourite part of the job?

I thrive on the variety of engagement this role offers. In the aviation industry, there’s a unique challenge in translating technical requirements from the hangar floor into financial logic for the management team. I love being part of the ‘big picture’ discussions that drive our strategic direction, especially because my personal passion for travel makes me feel truly invested in the work we do. It’s incredibly rewarding being able to connect with so many areas across the business and support the business in reaching our goals.

How did you get to where you are today?

I started my career 11 years ago in an entry-level accounting role right out of university. Over the last decade, I’ve progressed through various levels of accounting in both the technical and controlling space to my current role by consistently showing integrity, reliability and passion for my job.

I was drawn to the opportunities at Airbus through my love for travel and they have been endlessly supportive in developing me as a leader and as a result have given me some incredible opportunities.

What qualifications do you need to apply for your job?

 For an entry level accounting position you need a Bachelor of Business – Accounting, to be able to continue further into leadership and strategic focused roles there is a requirement for professional qualifications such as CPA (Certified Practising Accountant) or CA (Chartered Accountant).

What character qualities do you think suit this position?

In finance Integrity is a must due to the level of information you are privy to sometimes. In my current position time management, attention to detail and analytical thinking are an everyday requirement as you are often working across a number of topics and projects which have competing deadlines. In general the best quality to have is to be inquisitive, the amount of knowledge you can get from asking questions in understated.

What is involved in the training for your job or for the qualification you gained to get your job?

Accounting is a constantly changing landscape as technology evolves and that changes how we work. University gives you the general understanding of the theory and the regulations and how things technically work but many of the these components in the real world are now automated or leveraged through technology. It really comes down to learning on the job, getting to know how your business works intimately and then the continuous learning after that to add value and streamline your processes.

If you could go back and give your younger self some advice, what would it be?

 I always knew I wanted to be in the finance world and my high school learning and traineeship aligned in this direction however the advice would be ‘ say yes to the opportunities that are given to you and don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. They all lead to your dream career that you didn’t know existed.’

What advice would you give younger girls wanting to start a career in Aviation?

I always love the quote “Find what you love and then find someone who will pay you to do it”. If you love travel or aviation, find what skills you are good at and network with people in the industry who can help bridge where you are now and where you want to be. There are so many opportunities and variation within aviation, you just have to find how you can make it fit to who you are.