Royalties Accounting Manager

About the Company: Fanatics is expanding into the booming trading cards and collectibles business with a new model and vision for the hobby that will fundamentally change the experience for current and future collectors, leagues, and players across many sports. With trading cards and collectibles being a significant pillar of Fanatics’ long-term plans to become the leading global digital sports platform, Fanatics Collectibles, a subsidiary of Fanatics, was launched in 2021 after securing long-term, exclusive rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards for several sports properties, including MLB, MLBPA, NBA, NBPA and NFLPA. Fanatics is the majority owner of Fanatics Collectibles, with leagues, players associations and investors owning the rest. In January 2022, Fanatics Collectibles announced the acquisition of Topps, the preeminent licensed trading card brand that has serviced collectors, fans, and retailers for more than 70 years. The deal, which included both the Topps physical and digital divisions, established the iconic trading cards company as the cornerstone of Fanatics’ trading cards and collectibles business and jumpstarted its MLB and MLBPA rights to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards.

Role Summary: Fanatics Collectibles is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Manager to join the Royalty Accounting team, reporting directly to the Director of Royalty Accounting team. The Manager – Royalty Accounting Audit & Compliance will lead the coordination and preparation for external partner and licensor audits. This individual will act as the primary liaison for royalty audit requests, ensuring timely and accurate support for licensors. The role will focus heavily on audit preparedness, compliance with licensing agreements, royalty reporting accuracy, internal controls, process improvement initiatives, and supporting the development of end-to-end royalty reporting systems and processes. This is a high-impact role of technical accounting, compliance, and systems transformation, with direct exposure to some of the most complex licensing structures. What you will do…Lead and coordinate external royalty and licensing audits from licensors, leagues, and strategic partners. Serve as the primary point of contact for audit requests, documentation gathering, and audit-related communications. Prepare detailed audit support schedules, royalty reconciliations, and supporting documentation for external audit reviews. Review royalty reporting processes and calculations to ensure compliance with licensing agreements and contractual obligations. Identify and resolve royalty reporting discrepancies, audit findings, and compliance issues in partnership with internal stakeholders. Maintain audit-ready documentation and standardized support files across royalty accounting operations. Support SOX compliance initiatives and strengthen internal controls related to royalty accounting and reporting processes. Develop and maintain royalty accounting policies, procedures, and audit preparation standards. Analyze royalty data and trends to proactively identify compliance risks and process improvement opportunities. Interpret licensing agreements to ensure proper royalty calculations, reporting treatment, and compliance with contractual terms. Assist with the development and implementation of end-to-end royalty reporting software solutions and process enhancements. Partner with IT, Data & Analytics, and Finance Systems teams to improve royalty system integrations, automation, and reporting capabilities. Support process mapping, workflow optimization, and testing for new royalty reporting tools and system enhancements. Collaborate with Legal, Licensing, FP&A, IT, Operations, and external licensors to address audit inquiries and operational risks. Drive continuous process improvements to increase audit efficiency, scalability, and reporting accuracy. What you will bring…Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance required; CPA preferred.6+ years of accounting experience with royalty accounting, licensing, audit, or compliance experience. Direct experience supporting external royalty audits and licensing compliance reviews. Strong understanding of royalty accounting, licensing agreements, accrual accounting, and US GAAP.Strong understanding of internal controls and SOX compliance processes. Experience supporting ERP implementations, royalty reporting systems, or process transformation initiatives preferred. Experience interpreting complex contractual agreements and royalty terms. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience with ERP systems (Oracle preferred).Strong analytical skills with exceptional attention to detail. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to interact across all levels of the organization. Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities within a fast-paced environment. Self-motivated with a process improvement mindset and strong organizational skills. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Fanatics, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and, as a corporate practice, does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, national origin, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.