Sr. Analyst, Audit

Warner Music•Nashville, TN

14d•$50,000 - $60,000•Remote

About The Position

At Warner Music Group, we’re a global collective of music makers and music lovers, tech innovators and inspired entrepreneurs, game-changing creatives and passionate team members. Here, we turn dreams into stardom and audiences into fans. We are guided by three core values that underpin everything we do across all our diverse businesses: ● Curiosity: We do our best work when we’re immersing ourselves in culture and breaking through barriers. Curiosity is the driving force behind creativity and ingenuity. It fuels innovation, and innovation is the key to our future. ● Collaboration: Making music and bringing it to the world is all about the power of originality amplified by teamwork. A great idea, like a great song, travels globally. We ignite passions and build connections across our diverse community of artists, songwriters, partners, and fans. ● Commitment: We pursue excellence for our team and our talent. Everything in music starts with a leap into the unknown, and we’re committed to keeping the faith, acting with integrity, and delivering on our promises. WMG is home to a wide range of artists, musicians, and songwriters that fuel our success. That is why we are committed to creating a work environment that actively values, appreciates, and respects everyone. We encourage applications from people with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. Consider a career at WMG and get the best of both worlds – an innovative global music company that retains the creative spirit of a nimble independent. A little bit about our team: The U.S. Legal Shared Services organization is based in WMG’s Center of Excellence for Shared Services in Nashville, Tennessee. The U.S. Legal Shared Services organization (or “LSS”) consists of three departments: Audit, Legal, and Publishing. Employees of the Center of Excellence provide services to all of WMG’s U.S. record labels, Warner Chappell Music Publishing, WEA Corp. and Alternative Distribution Alliance (WMG’s distribution companies), and WMG’s other U.S. business units. The Audit Department is responsible for handling all incoming audits arising from the artist recording agreements, joint venture and participation agreements, publishing license agreements, and union collective bargaining agreements to which WMG’s U.S. record labels are a party. Members of the Department work closely with employees in the Business Affairs, Finance, Production, Operations, New Media, and Marketing departments of each label client to fulfill the above-referenced responsibilities for the recordings and record those labels release. Your role: This position will run all aspects of the audit process, including, without limitation, tracking audit notifications, reviewing and analyzing the claims contained in the audit reports we receive, making recommendations to the relevant WMG internal label clients regarding how to respond to those claims, facilitating settlement negotiations between the party auditing and WMG’s internal label clients, and ensuring that any internal accounting entries related to the audit process are made accurately and promptly.

Requirements

Candidates for this position must be able to work well independently and as part of a team
Candidates must have strong computer skills, including strong data entry and data analysis skills (with an emphasis on accuracy and problem-solving) and strong proficiency using Microsoft Office’s Excel, Word and PowerPoint applications
Candidate must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills
Candidate must possess excellent analytical, mathematical and organizational skills
Candidate must be able to meet deadlines consistently and effectively while working under pressure
candidate must be able to manage multiple assignments at any given time and prioritize them effectively and appropriately
Candidate must possess comprehensive working knowledge of WMG’s EROS artist royalty system
Candidate must possess working knowledge of one or more of the legacy royalty systems previously used by WMG’s major U.S. labels (e.g., Atlantic Records, Warner Bros. Records, Rhino Entertainment)
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; major in accounting, finance or business is preferred
Candidate should possess a minimum of 2+ years’ experience working in a position or positions involving participation in, and management of, the external audit process for a record label

Nice To Haves

familiarity with Microsoft Office’s Access application is preferred, but not required

Responsibilities

Lead all aspects of the tracking of audit notice letters received by the Group’s label clients; upon receipt of a given notice, you will resolve (and then advise such label clients of) the maximum duration of the period the party in question is contractually permitted to audit, and then facilitate the negotiation of the actual period WMG will permit the party concerned to audit
Oversee the audit fieldwork process, including, without limitation, by collecting all relevant data and other information contained in the books and records of the WMG label concerned that is relevant to (and falls within the contractually-defined scope) of the audit concerned
Review and analyze the audit claims submitted by the auditor in question, as well as the relevant provisions of the underlying artist, publisher and union contracts that govern WMG’s exploitation of the assets that is at issue in the audit
Develop recommendations for the WMG label client(s) concerned regarding how to respond to the audit claims in a given audit
Facilitate the settlement of each audit, on behalf of the WMG label client concerned; in close coordination with that label’s Business & Legal Affairs and Finance Departments
Administer any and all payments made in connection with the settlement of each audit, ensuring that each is properly recorded in the books and records of the applicable WMG label client(s)
Manage the activities of the junior members of the Group in connection with each of the above-listed activities
Prepare and distribute monthly and quarterly Audit Reserves/P&L Reports to WMG label clients
Organize and lead monthly status meetings with WMG label clients
Manage the input and tracking of all data related to the Group’s pending audits in the Group’s consolidated audit tracking spreadsheet; and perform such other duties as you may be asked to perform by the senior management of the Group and the division.