Deputy Manager/Group Manager - Operations, Copyright and Licensing

Job Description

Job Summary: Royalty: Copyright & Licensing

• This role will be responsible for managing and supporting royalty audit processes.
• This role involves handling audit requests, preparing documentation, analyzing data, and ensuring compliance with contractual obligations.
• The position requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and familiarity with music industry royalty systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Audit Management: Coordinate end-to-end royalty audit processes, starting from receipt of audit notices to final settlement.
• Document Retrieval & Preparation: Gather, filter, and standardize supporting documents from multiple systems (e.g., EROS, SAP, Vistex, CMS, DSP reports) for fieldwork and auditor review.
• Audit Reserve Calculation: Assist in establishing audit reserve funds by pulling earnings data and applying historical error rates or default accrual percentages.
• Fieldwork Coordination: Prepare fieldwork packets and trackers, ensuring timely delivery of royalty statements, core calculation reports, and foreign income data.
• Data Analysis: Review earnings trends, identify anomalies, and provide analytical insights to support accurate reserve calculations and audit responses.
• Contract Interpretation Support: Collaborate with Business Affairs teams to interpret contractual audit provisions and ensure compliance during audits.
• Audit Report Review: Analyze auditor claims for underpayment, prioritize based on financial and legal impact, and prepare data-driven responses.
• System Expertise: Utilize royalty systems (EROS, Vistex), SAP S/4, and repertoire management tools (e.g., GCDM) to extract and validate data.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with finance, legal, and business affairs teams to resolve discrepancies and negotiate settlements.
• Compliance & Accuracy: Ensure all audit deliverables meet contractual requirements and internal standards for accuracy and timeliness.
• Performance Tracking: Maintain audit trackers and service-level metrics to monitor efficiency and adherence to deadlines.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify process gaps and recommend automation or optimization opportunities to reduce manual effort.

Mandatory

• Strong understanding of royalty accounting, audit processes, and contractual compliance.
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills for cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to manage multiple audits and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred

• Proficiency in SAP 4/HANA, Vistex, EROS, MUR, Ariba, and digital reporting systems.

Qualifications

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field.

Additional Information