Role overview
Company Overview
Fanatics is building the leading global digital sports platform to ignite and harness the passions of fans, and maximize the presence and reach for hundreds of partners globally. Leveraging these long-standing partnerships, a database of more than 80 million global consumers and a trusted, recognizable brand name, Fanatics is expanding beyond its position as the global leader for licensed sports merchandise to now becoming a next-gen digital sports platform, featuring an array of offerings across the sports ecosystem.
The Fanatics family of companies currently includes Fanatics Commerce, a vertically-integrated licensed merchandise business that has changed the way fans purchase their favorite team apparel, jerseys, headwear and hardgoods through a tech-infused approach to making and quickly distributing fan gear in today’s 24/7 mobile-first economy; Candy Digital, a digital collectibles company that is partnering with prominent sports properties, including MLB and MLBPA, to build an official NFT ecosystem; Fanatics Collectibles, a transformative company that is building a new model for the hobby and giving collectors an end-to-end collectibles experience; and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, a mobile betting, gaming and retail sportsbook platform. Additional ventures that will build out Fanatics’ footprint across the broader digital sports landscape will be rolled out soon. Fanatics’ partners include all major professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, MLS, PGA) and hundreds of collegiate and professional teams, which include several of the biggest global soccer clubs. As a market leader with more than 8,000 employees, and hundreds of partners, suppliers, and vendors worldwide, we take responsibility for driving toward more ethical and sustainable practices. We are committed to building an inclusive Fanatics community, reflecting and representing society at every level of the business, including our employees, vendors, partners and fans. Fanatics is also dedicated to making a positive impact in the communities where we all live, work, and play through strategic philanthropic initiatives. At Fanatics, we’re a diverse, passionate group of employees aiming to ignite pride and passion in the fans we outfit, celebrate and support. We recognize that diversity helps drive and foster innovation, and through our IDEA program (inclusion, diversity, equality and advocacy) at Fanatics we provide employees with tools and resources to feel connected and engaged in who they are and what they do to support the ultimate fan experience.
About the Team
At Fanatics, we know that numbers are not just for jerseys. Our accounting and finance professionals are charged with taking a highly analytical approach towards financial data across every part of our business. We identify financial successes and opportunities, and then create detailed growth plans to reach and exceed our company goals. We bring numbers to life by developing innovative and strategic reporting as well as actionable insights for key stakeholders and executive leadership. Just as Fanatics continues to rapidly grow, we encourage our team members to do the same by supporting continued education and offering internal career advancement in various areas of Accounting and Finance.
THE OPPORTUNITY Reporting to the Controller, he or she will provide financial leadership by managing the Company’s royalty accounting and reporting activities to ensure accurate and timely compliance with all internal & external reporting requirements for all collegiate and professional team & league partners.
This role will have 3 to 5 direct reports at varying levels (Director, Sr. Manager, and Managers) and will require a visionary leader who displays a passion for strengthening the team and fostering collaboration, learning and growth. To be successful in this job, you must be a forward looking, proactive leader with business experience in increasingly complex businesses, across geographies and business channels. The candidate must be an experienced, collaborative accounting professional with the background and interpersonal skills sufficient to function successfully in a growth-enabling and challenging position. He or she must have the ability to embrace and assume “ownership” of various processes and reports, implementing structure and enhancing maturity. Attention to detail, superior organizational and project management skills, and exceptional communication skills are important. Also, this person must have the ability to manage up and partner with business development as well as other senior leaders within the organization.
JOB FUNCTIONS This position will provide accounting, processing and analytical support for royalty accounting; specific responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
•Coordinate with Business Development, Licensing, and Legal teams to understand the obligations under agreements with partners, licensors, and licensees, and implement necessary processes to execute •Ensure that detailed records of contracts, terms, and procedures are maintained •Develop in-depth knowledge of systems, data, and reporting tools as well as understanding of the business processes related to assigned general ledger accounts, including transaction flow; Implement accounting policies to support licensing and royalty deals •Ensure various transactions are recorded appropriately in accordance with GAAP as a key contributor to the month-end and year-end close processes; prepare and/or review journal entries, reconciliations, and supporting schedules •Review monthly and/or quarterly revenue share and royalty settlements for timely submission to partners •Be an agile value-added resource to the accounting department and other departments within the organization by sharing information needed to effectively manage the business; develop/improve clear, concise, and timely management reporting processes •Participate as a key team member in the quarterly, year-end financial statements, financial audits and audits by partners and licensors, providing meaningful support and professional communication with internal and external parties •Maintain positive working relationships with all external partners and provide timely responses to inquiries •Assist with development and implementation of licensing software as well as other technical solutions to improve processes •Assist the Accounting department with other developments as necessary, including preparation of ad hoc financial reporting requests, other analyses and special projects requested by management PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS The ideal candidate will possess the following credentials:
•Bachelor’s degree in Accounting required •15+ years of accounting experience •Ability to handle multiple tasks and stringent deadlines within a fast-paced environment is a must •Ability to organize and prioritize •Must have strong analytical skills •Must have excellent communication skills – verbal and written •Ability to effectively work with multiple departments •Strong attention to detail •Experience within sports industry or heavy experience with royalties a must
CERTIFICATION A CPA (Certified Public Accountant) certification and/or MBA is preferred for this role.
Tryouts are open at Fanatics! Our team is passionate, talented, unified, and charged with creating the fan experience of tomorrow. The ball is in your court now.
Ensure your Fanatics job offer is legitimate and don’t fall victim to fraud. Fanatics never seeks payment from job applicants. Fanatics recruiters will only reach out to applicants from an @fanatics.com or @fanatics.co.uk email address. For added security, where possible, apply through our company website at www.fanaticsinc.com/careers
Fanatics is committed to responsible planning and purchasing (RPP) practices, working with its business partners across its global and multi-layered supply chain, to ensure that planning, sourcing, and purchasing decisions, along with other supporting processes, do not impede or conflict with the fulfillment of Fanatics’ fair labor practices.
NOTICE TO CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS/APPLICANTS: In connection with your application, we collect information that identifies, reasonably relates to or describes you (“Personal Information”). The categories of Personal Information that we collect include your name, government issued identification number(s), email address, mailing address, other contact information, emergency contact information, employment history, educational history, criminal record, and demographic information. We collect and use those categories of Personal Information about you for human resources and other business management purposes, including identifying and evaluating you as a candidate for potential or future employment or future contract positions, recordkeeping in relation to recruiting and hiring, conducting criminal background checks as permitted by law, conducting analytics, and ensuring compliance with applicable legal requirements and Company policies.