Royalty Audit Manager (Contract Compliance)

The Royalty Audit Manager (Contract Compliance) is responsible for leading and managing royalty, licensing, participation, and contract compliance audits on behalf of clients. This role oversees all phases of the audit lifecycle, including planning, risk assessment, fieldwork, analysis, reporting, and settlement support. The Manager works closely with clients, licensees, legal counsel, finance teams, and internal audit professionals to identify contract compliance issues, recover underreported royalties, and improve compliance processes.

The position requires strong project management capabilities, contract interpretation skills, financial analysis expertise, and experience leading audit teams across multiple industries and geographic regions including working with large Global Film & TV Producers and Studios and recognized Brands and Intellectual Property Owners. Royalty audit programs commonly emphasize risk-based audit selection, stakeholder communication, tracking, reporting, and continuous program improvement.

From day one, you’ll be empowered by the greater Risk team to help clients make the moves that will help them achieve their vision and help you achieve more, confidently.

Your day-to-day may include

• Lead multiple domestic and international royalty and contract compliance audits from planning through reporting, including risk-based audit selection, scoping, budgeting, staffing, scheduling, and milestone management.
• Be responsible for the oversight and delivery of third-party reviews and management of a diverse portfolio of reviews.
• Interpret licensing, distribution, content, talent, participation, merchandising, and royalty agreements; assess contractual risks; and identify potential recovery opportunities.
• Direct fieldwork and review financial, operational, and contractual testing of sales, royalties, deductions, reserves, advances, guarantees, controls, calculations, and supporting records, while managing complex, forensically focused projects and providing clear verbal and written status updates to clients and third parties.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with internal teams, clients, and third parties while serving as the primary client contact, coordinating with licensees and legal, finance, licensing, internal audit, and operational teams, and leading kick-off meetings and discussions of findings and supporting documentation.
• Familiarity with the intellectual property and licensing industry including typical royalty structures, licensing agreements, and intellectual property rights.
• Use data analytics and business intelligence tools to analyze large datasets, identify anomalies and non-compliance, and develop dashboards, performance metrics, and transparent reporting.
• Preparing reports and the ability to articulate findings related to complex matters in a format suitable for c-suite stakeholders.
• Prepare and present audit reports and executive summaries, quantify findings and recoveries, support negotiations and settlements, and ensure compliance with professional standards, firm methodologies, and quality review requirements.
• Supervise, coach, and develop audit staff; review workpapers and performance; support recruiting and onboarding; and advance knowledge sharing, methodology enhancements, and continuous improvement.

You have the following technical skills and qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, MIS, or a related field is required
• Minimum 5+ years of related work experience in a similar consulting practice or function servicing cross-industry clients at a national level
• Certification required, CPA, CISA, CISSP, CIA or CISM preferred
• Experience of using Microsoft packages (particularly Microsoft Excel) and preferably experience utilizing advanced data analysis tools (for example Alteryx, Python, SQL etc), data visualization tools (for example Power BI and Tableau) and Generative AI
• Experience managing a global team with diverse backgrounds
• Experience performing and managing multiple audits concurrently
• Ability to execute multiple engagements and completing priorities in a rapidly growing team environment
• Experience with analytics and/or automation software and an understanding of the impact of technology
• Exceptional client service, communication, analytical, organizational and project management skills
• Can travel as needed

The base salary range for this position is between $138,000 and $172,500. Placement within the pay range is at Grant Thornton’s discretion, and it is based on multiple factors, including but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, progression within the role, geographic location, and internal equity. At Grant Thornton, compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.