Royalties Accounting Manager

Royalties Accounting Manager

New York, NY

The Opportunity

A leading entertainment company is building out its Label Finance function and looking for a Royalty Accounting Manager to take real ownership of royalty accounting across an assigned artist and label roster. This isn't a back office, admin heavy royalty seat. You'll own the financial analysis behind artist royalties and joint venture profit share calculations, work hands on with contracts and recoupment schedules, and partner directly with Finance, Legal, and label leadership.

The function is actively being modernized, not maintained, so there's a genuine opportunity to shape process, build forecasting models, and improve reporting rather than inherit someone else's system. There is a clear path to owning the day to day operation of the royalty function within roughly two years, as the current owner steps into a broader Label Finance role.

What You'll Do

Royalty Accounting & Statement Processing

• Prepare and review royalty and joint venture statements for recording artists, producers, and third party participants in accordance with contractual terms
• Calculate royalty rates, advances, recoupment balances, and reserves across recorded music, digital distribution, licensing, and sync income
• Maintain accurate artist and contract records within royalty accounting systems
• Research and resolve royalty discrepancies, underpayments, and disputes raised by artists, managers, or attorneys

Financial Operations & Reporting

• Support monthly and quarterly royalty accruals and reserve calculations alongside the broader Finance team
• Assist with cash forecasting related to artist advances, recoupment, and royalty and joint venture payouts
• Reconcile royalty data against distributor, DSP, and label revenue reporting
• Maintain organized, audit ready royalty files and calculations

Contract Interpretation & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Interpret recording, licensing, and distribution agreements to apply correct royalty rates, escalations, and deductions
• Partner with Legal to clarify contract terms and ensure royalty setups reflect deal terms accurately
• Serve as a responsive point of contact for artist representatives and internal stakeholders on royalty related questions
• Collaborate with label management on artist account status, advances, and recoupment positions

Process Improvement & Systems

• Identify opportunities to streamline joint venture calculation processes, templates, and reporting workflows
• Support system enhancements and testing for royalty accounting and reporting platforms
• Assist with special projects, catalog acquisitions, and ad hoc financial analysis as needed

What We're Looking For

• 3 to 6 years of accounting experience, with joint venture or profit participation accounting required. Royalty accounting experience is a plus but not required, we'll teach that
• Comfortable interpreting recording, licensing, or distribution contracts and applying that language to real calculations
• Confident communicator who picks up the phone rather than relying on email, and is comfortable working across finance, legal, and talent facing teams
• Strong Excel skills, pivot tables, lookups, complex formulas
• Solid understanding of accrual accounting and reserve/recoupment mechanics
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Music Business, or a related field, or equivalent work experience

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary $110,000 to $125,000, plus performance based bonus
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous PTO and holiday schedule, including a full two weeks off at year end
• Based in New York City, in office

Hoxton Circle is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.