Digital Finance Controller at Sony Music Entertainment

Job description

Responsible for the finance administration, control and accounting for all Digital Partner agreements. Responsible for Public Performance and Broadcast finance administration, control and accounting for all collecting society agreements. This includes understanding key deal terms and managing the monthly accounting, invoicing and cash associated with each deal.

Co-ordinate activities for South, East and West Africa operations.

Ensure an efficient digital finance function and delivery of high quality information, analysis and services to the business.

Key results/task area:

Monitor and control of all phases of the digital financial cycle to ensure completeness of accounting, revenue is recognised in line with accounting policies and partner reporting is timely and complete.

Key areas of responsibility (not limited to, as the role will evolve)

• Gain an understanding of the key deal terms for each DSP (Digital Service Provider) and collecting society and apply correct accounting treatment for agreements.
• Work with GDB Deal Administration to ensure proper set up local managed deals.
• Accounting of monthly digital revenue based on information available i.e. SAMIS, monthly or annual trends, release schedules and actuals invoiced.
• Co-ordinate the issue of invoices to DSP’s and Collecting societies(customers).
• Analysis of global intercompany account and other balance sheet accounts relevant to the role. (i.e. Allowance for Doubtful account, accrued expenses, Deferred Revenue accounts).
• Communicate monthly forecast vs. actuals with an explanation of large variances.
• Follow-up with Deal Admin and BLA if payments and reporting are late.
• Responsible for monitoring of bad debt reserves by DSP. Communicate monthly to Finance Director.
• Give financial support to Legal and Bus Dev teams (advice on accounting impact of deal terms, tax impact, management reporting etc.)
• Manage the partner file processing review, approval, invoicing and reconciliation within the partner management system for both digital and PP&B using Sony’s global platforms.
• Monitor and control file processing inflow into the partner management system as well as the flow through to downstream systems i.e. SAMIS, EROS and financial system.
• Responsible for digital market share reporting to IFPI as well internally at Sony Music.
• Other finance activities as deemed related to the role.
• Involvement and responsibility in the annual budgeting process and monthly forecasting process for digital as well as variance analysis.
• Manage and co-ordinate activities with WNS (outsource) off-shore agents.

Essential experience:

• Corporate financial or management Accounting qualification, Bachelor of Commerce in accounting or similar.
• Leadership of a finance function within an operating company
• Operating effectively as part of a management team,
• Demonstrate complex data and trend analysis for problem solving and decision making skills and the organisational skills to manage and prioritise busy workload
• Demonstrated ability to quickly build credible working relationships at all levels of the company
• Strong analytical skills with ability to communicate comples problems clearly to a non-financial audience
• Obessive attention to detail