Manager – Content Accounting

Manager – Content Accounting

Requirements

• Thorough knowledge of accounting principles and practices (GAAP) and financial statements
• Advanced proficiency in Excel required; familiarity with developing & utilizing macros in Excel required
• Excellent analytical, oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work with all levels of management
• Strong managerial skills
• Minimum of 3-5 years experience in an accounting/forecasting or related environment required
• Previous experience in public accounting and/or the entertainment industry required
• BA/BS degree in Accounting, Economics or related field required
• CPA strongly preferred

Responsibilities

• Manage the global studios monthly participations accounting processes for studios Television products and HBO/Max products on a by-title basis
• Review complex and intricate participations ultimates models used to compute Film Expense under IFFM to ensure timely and accurate expense accrual calculations
• Review participations contracts and FCRA abstracts to ensure that all deals are accounted for appropriately under US GAAP accounting
• Manage rated titles participations accruals process, including regular review and proposing on updating and maintaining appropriate accrual rates
• Review and recommend MPM attributes and costing classes that drive critical system calculations, including rates table maintenance, and ensure they are properly updated/maintained in SAP
• Assess and advise management on system overrides (stat items) to properly capture expense using SAP FCA module
• Review and ownership over participations liability on the balance sheet; responsible for determining and recommending accrual adjustments for over/under accrued titles
• Works closely with Studios Corporate Participations Group, HBO/Max Business Affairs and various Business Unit personnel, as required, to ensure accuracy of participations balances
• Review and assess new and continuing co-financing deals, along with consultation with technical accounting, to support preparation of the Collaborative Arrangements footnote disclosure
• Determine required disclosures needed for the Commitments & Contingencies reporting schedules
• Manage the global studios monthly residuals accounting processes for Television products on a by-title basis
• Review residuals ultimates models used to compute Film Expense under IFFM, including validation of episodic guild rates for reasonableness, by market and by title, as needed, to ensure timely and accurate residuals expense accrual calculations
• Review and ownership over residuals liability on the balance sheet; responsible for determining and recommending accrual adjustments for over/under accrued titles
• Manage rated titles residuals accruals process, including regular review and proposing on updating and maintaining appropriate accrual rates
• Review and recommend MPM attributes and costing classes that drive critical system calculations, including rates table maintenance, and ensure they are properly updated/maintained in SAP
• Works closely with Studios Corporate Residuals Group, HBO/Max Business Affairs and various Business Unit personnel, as required, to ensure accuracy of residuals balances
• Validates rates from AIRS & Oracle (corporate residuals systems), reviews and maintains accurate costing rates in the system, analyzes advances and adjusts accrued liabilities as needed to ensure costing functions produce expected results
• Performs regular review of participations and residuals liabilities for WBD and HBO/Max, including analysis of accrual and payment details based on life cycle policy guidelines (triangulations, detailed packages, rollforwards)
• Ensures appropriate analysis is completed and communicated to Senior Management and responds to queries of Senior Management related to reported participations liabilities
• Performs necessary analysis whenever significant revenue is recognized in each period to ensure accrual functions will result in appropriate liability accruals
• Ensures all required reconciliations and account analysis are completed with sufficient documentation
• Responsible for intercompany and intracompany schedules and all related journal entries to facilitate proper segment reporting
• Responsible for all quarterly close related functions and reporting deliverables to Corporate Financial Reporting related to participations, residuals, advances, and contractual obligations reporting
• Documents and communicates requirements for additional system reports, calculations, and changes
• Reviews and maintains documented departmental procedures in a complete and timely manner
• Ensures compliance with SOX requirements and internal and external auditors
• Maintains workpapers and schedules to support review and signoff of SOX Key Controls
• Coordinates with Corporate Participations and Residuals groups and other Business Unit personnel on the reconciliation of by-title accounts
• Participates in SAP system projects and other projects as needed
• Determines appropriateness of current procedures and is responsible for designing and implementing improvements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Divisional or corporate reporting experience a plus
• SAP BW/BPS and Oracle experience preferred