Lead Accountant, Royalty & Rights

The Pokémon Company International•Bellevue, WA

7h•$104,000 - $188,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The role will serve as a key owner of the company’s royalty and rights accounting framework, with a strong emphasis on technical accounting rigor and process excellence. This role will focus on the interpretation of contractual arrangements, validation of upstream royalty reporting, and the design of scalable, auditable processes—while partnering closely with teams responsible for licensee statement processing and cash application. While this role does not directly own licensee transaction processing, it requires a comprehensive understanding of end-to-end royalty flows to ensure alignment across teams. The individual will act as a central point of expertise, translating complex business arrangements into clear accounting treatment and ensuring that downstream processes are appropriately structured and executed.

Requirements

8+ years of progressive accounting experience, with strong foundation in US GAAP and internal controls
Demonstrated experience in complex, contract-driven accounting areas (e.g., revenue recognition, royalties, licensing, or similar)
Proven ability to interpret legal agreements and translate contractual terms into accounting treatment and operational processes
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (CPA or equivalent certification strongly preferred)
Strong background in process improvement, process design, and operational scaling
Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies; certification (e.g., Green Belt, Black Belt) preferred
Track record of designing and implementing standardized, auditable, and scalable processes
Ability to identify control gaps, inefficiencies, and risks, and implement sustainable solutions
Experience in royalty accounting, rights management, or participation reporting strongly preferred
Background in media, entertainment, gaming, licensing, or similar industries is a plus
Familiarity with royalty systems, ERP platforms, and reporting tools
Excellent project management skills with the ability to drive complex, cross-functional initiatives
Strong stakeholder management and communication skills; ability to influence across Finance, Legal, Business, and Systems teams
Comfortable operating in ambiguous environments and building structure where it does not exist

Nice To Haves

CPA or equivalent certification strongly preferred
Certification (e.g., Green Belt, Black Belt) preferred
Background in media, entertainment, gaming, licensing, or similar industries is a plus

Responsibilities

Own Royalty Accounting Framework and Oversight (Excluding Licensee Processing)
Develop deep subject matter expertise in royalty and rights-related activities, including contractual structures and reporting requirements
Review and interpret agreements with the relevant stakeholders to ensure accurate application of terms
Review and validate periodic royalty and participation reports prepared by the team
Maintain a comprehensive understanding of end-to-end royalty flows, including upstream business activities and licensee processing and reporting
Partner closely with the team responsible for licensee statements and cash application to ensure alignment and accuracy across processes
Translate new business arrangements into clear accounting and reporting requirements, and route impacts to the appropriate teams managing licensee transactions
Establish Processes and Internal Controls
Design, document, and implement scalable, auditable royalty accounting processes
Strengthen internal controls to ensure compliance, accuracy, and transparency
Reduce key-person dependency by creating clear documentation and repeatable workflows
Support New Business Initiatives
Partner with business, legal, finance, and systems teams to operationalize new revenue streams
Ensure royalty implications are identified early and properly integrated into systems and reporting
Identify gaps and drive solutions to support evolving business models
Lead Cross-Functional Projects and Issue Resolution
Project manage ongoing process improvements
Coordinate with stakeholders to investigate root causes, implement fixes, and prevent recurrence
Track progress against key milestones and ensure timely delivery of critical initiatives