Director, Film Accounting

This is a Full Time Job

Warner Bros. Entertainment, a fully integrated, broad-based entertainment company, is a global leader in the creation, production, distribution, licensing and marketing of all forms of entertainment and their related businesses, across all current and emerging media and platforms. The company stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry, from feature films to television, home video/DVD, animation, comic books, interactive entertainment and games, product and brand licensing, international cinemas and broadcasting.

We are currently seeking a Director, Film Accounting for the Finance Reporting & Budgeting department. The Corporate Financial Reporting and Budgeting (FRB) department is responsible for financial statement consolidations and analysis, and film cost computations for Warner Bros. Entertainment. This position oversees Theatrical film ultimates, participation, residual reporting and film cost processes within FRB. Main responsibilities include the oversight of theatrical participations and residual ultimate models, management of Theatrical ultimate reporting, management of participation and residual liabilities, review and approval of financial journal entries. This role is also responsible for providing analysis, analytical schedules and responses to senior management on questions related to film ultimates, participation calculations and subsequent liabilities.

The Director of Film Accounting will be expected to:
•Identify and obatin necessary legal documents and incorporates contractual terms into the creation of models that compute the ultimate participation liability for all new Theatrical products.
•Obtain, track, analyze, and report monthly ultimates for specific Theatrical product.
•Manage the maintenance, updating and/or revision of participation models of assigned previously released product.
•Oversee the preparation of specific By-Title Ultimate Profit & Loss statements as necessary and present to departmental management the reports and analysis of such.
•Review deal memos/contracts/abstracts from Rights/Legal departments to ensure appropriate reporting and calculation of obligations.
•Create ultimate participation model and/or designs and manage the updating process of current estimated ultimate participations for monthly, quarterly and annual reporting requirements.
•Determine and communicate procedures to be followed by Business Units that provide Ultimate data.
•Manage and participate in the reviewing and preparing of comparative analysis (incl. documentation of results).
•Manage the review of Ultimate calculations against actual participation statements, including research and reconciliation of discrepancies. Communicates effectively with the participation department to resolve issues.
•Prepare and present answers to senior management review notes and ad-hoc requests.
•Determine appropriate film cost calculation during the financial close as well as during planning cycles to ensure that appropriate film amortization, participation and residual expense is computed on appropriate Theatrical titles.
•Review, prepare and/or approve journal entries for actual and plan periods.
•Determine MPM attributes and ensure they are updated/maintained in SAP
•Maintain the accrual process and review activity for older product.
•Prepare and provide extensive analysis on consolidated Participation and Residual Liabilities reporting as well as accrual account analysis and payment account analysis.
•Assure appropriate balance sheet classification of Participations and Residual Liabilities and Participation advances.
•Review and analyze participation statements to ultimate participation calculations to ensure that the liabilities are being accrued properly and that payments are being charged correctly.
•Ensure financial statements balances for participation and residual expense and liabilities are appropriate and being recorded according to GAAP policies. Oversee the preparation of supporting financial schedules.
•Provide coaching, development and supervision to direct and indirect reports.
•Review all reports, analysis and journal entries prepared by staff.
•Ensures compliance with SOX documentation requirements.

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:
•BA/BS degree in Accounting, Economics or related field required.
•CPA and/or MBA preferred.
•Minimum 7 years accounting/related experience required / minimum 2 year’s supervisory experience required.
•Previous entertainment experience and exposure to participations/residuals accounting preferred.
•Advanced proficiency in Excel required including familiarity with developing and utilizing macros.
•General knowledge & understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) required.
•Strong analytical and logic skills including ability to grasp the “big picture” while also maintaining a strong detail orientation.
•Effective writing and verbal communication skills; required to communicate effectively with all levels of Warner Bros. and Time Warner personnel.
•SAP – BW/BPS experience preferred.