Director, Technical Accounting & Compliance

Role Overview

We are seeking a Director of Technical Accounting & Compliance to strengthen Controllership across On Location’s Core businesses. Core comprises On Location’s ongoing property portfolio, including NFL and Super Bowl, NCAA, PGA of America, UFC, and WWE; the Olympic and FIFA World Cup programs are supported separately. This role will lead the evaluation and documentation of complex accounting matters, establish practical accounting policies, and reinforce the governance and control framework required to operate effectively as part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO).

The Director will partner closely with Core Accounting, Finance, Legal, Tax, Revenue Operations, Internal Audit, and TKO Accounting. The role is expected to translate US GAAP and company policy into clear, scalable processes and to provide timely guidance on new contracts, business models, transactions, and close-related judgments.

This is a senior individual-contributor and leadership role within Controllership. It does not replace day-to-day operational accounting ownership; instead, it provides the technical judgment, governance, challenge, and compliance oversight needed to support consistent execution across Core.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Accounting & Transaction Support

• Lead the accounting analysis for complex contracts, new products, commercial arrangements, and non-routine transactions, with particular focus on revenue recognition, gross-versus-net presentation, variable consideration, contract modifications, principal-agent conclusions, and balance sheet classification.
• Evaluate rights-holder economics, including minimum guarantees and committed purchase obligations, and the capitalization, amortization, and recoverability of pre-event costs.
• Prepare and review clear, audit-ready technical accounting memoranda and position papers under US GAAP.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, Tax, Revenue Operations, and business leaders early in the contract and deal lifecycle to identify accounting implications and influence scalable execution.
• Monitor relevant accounting developments and assess their impact on Core processes, policies, financial reporting, and disclosures.
• Serve as a technical resource to the broader Accounting and Finance organization, providing practical guidance and training.

Accounting Policy & Governance

• Develop, maintain, and operationalize accounting policies, procedures, decision frameworks, and documentation standards.
• Establish a consistent governance process for the review and approval of new contracts, significant judgments, and accounting conclusions.
• Lead the quarterly contract-completeness and contract-review process in coordination with Legal, Commercial, Finance, and Accounting.
• Maintain a central inventory of significant accounting positions, recurring judgments, and open technical matters.
• Promote consistency across Core entities and business lines while allowing for clearly documented differences in facts and circumstances.

Compliance, Controls & Audit

• Partner with Internal Audit and process owners to strengthen the internal control environment, including control design, documentation, evidence standards, issue remediation, and ongoing SOX compliance.
• Support quarterly and annual external audit activities, including technical consultations, audit requests, and resolution of accounting matters.
• Review significant close judgments, estimates, reconciliations, and balance sheet matters from a governance and risk perspective.
• Support financial statement and SEC reporting requirements by providing technical accounting analysis, disclosure support, and documentation for significant judgments.
• Track accounting and control issues through resolution, ensuring clear ownership, deadlines, escalation, and sustainable remediation.

Core Controllership Partnership

• Partner with Core Accounting leaders on complex close matters without displacing their ownership of day-to-day accounting execution.
• Provide oversight and challenge on high-risk areas, including deferred revenue, deferred event costs, unbilled receivables, accruals, ticket costs, contract assets and liabilities, and event-related balance sheet accounts.
• Support the design of scalable accounting processes for new events, products, systems, and organizational changes.
• Identify opportunities to standardize, automate, and simplify accounting activities while maintaining appropriate control and documentation.
• Lead cross-functional workstreams and special projects assigned by the SVP, Controller.

Leadership & Influence

• Operate as a trusted advisor who can communicate complex accounting matters clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Build strong partnerships across Accounting, Finance, Legal, Tax, Operations, Internal Audit, external auditors, and TKO.
• Coach and develop accounting team members through technical reviews, training, and on-the-job guidance.
• Drive accountability and timely decision-making through clear recommendations, issue tracking, and escalation.
• Model a culture of ownership, collaboration, sound judgment, and continuous improvement.

You Bring

• 8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including significant experience in technical accounting, public-company reporting, audit, or controllership.
• CPA required; Big Four or national public accounting experience strongly preferred.
• Strong command of US GAAP, particularly ASC 606, and demonstrated ability to research, document, and defend complex accounting conclusions.
• Experience supporting SEC reporting, internal controls, SOX compliance, and external audit requirements.
• Proven ability to evaluate contracts and translate technical guidance into practical operating processes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence senior stakeholders and explain accounting judgments plainly.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work through ambiguity, and drive matters to resolution in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with NetSuite, SAP, or comparable ERP systems preferred; experience in live events, hospitality, sports, media, travel, or other complex revenue environments is a plus.

Ideal Profile

• Technically strong, pragmatic, and comfortable making well-supported decisions.
• Equally effective in detailed accounting analysis and cross-functional leadership.
• Able to distinguish between a technical accounting question, a process failure, and an execution gap—and address each appropriately.
• Proactive and curious, with the judgment to identify risk early without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• A hands-on leader who can build structure, improve documentation, and raise the capability of the broader team.

Working Conditions & Opportunity

• Event-driven seasonality, with peak periods aligned to the Core event calendar—NFL season and Super Bowl, NCAA championships, PGA of America championship season, and the year-round UFC and WWE cadence—which can overlap with quarterly close and external audit cycles.
• Occasional travel to Core events and business locations may be required.
• Opportunity to shape the technical accounting and compliance foundation of a growing, complex sports and entertainment organization.
• Highly collaborative role with regular interaction across Core business teams and TKO corporate functions.
• Career development and growth opportunities within a global sports and entertainment organization.

Why Join Us?

At TKO, you’ll be part of a premium sports and entertainment company which operates leading combat sports and sports entertainment brands. This role offers a chance to work on impactful projects in a collaborative, high-energy environment where your contributions help shape the financial future of a dynamic organization.