Director, Production Finance

Company Description

We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, USA Network, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Universal Studio Group, and have world-renowned theme parks and attractions through Universal Destinations & Experiences. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Here you can be your authentic self. As a company uniquely positioned to educate, entertain and empower through our platforms, Comcast NBCUniversal stands for including everyone. Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, coupled with our Corporate Social Responsibility work, is informed by our employees, audiences, park guests and the communities in which we live. We strive to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where our employees feel supported, embraced and heard. Together, we’ll continue to create and deliver content that reflects the current and ever-changing face of the world.

Job Description

Job Summary:

Universal Studio Group (USG) is hiring a Director, Production Finance for our dynamic and creative USG Production Finance team.  We seek a high-performing, motivated, conscientious professional who exhibits strong analytical, written and oral communication skills.  This individual should demonstrate a high aptitude for critical thinking and analysis, and excellent legal and deal analysis skills.

The successful candidate should emphasize cross-functional collaboration with all business partners for process improvements and efficiencies and the ability to partner closely with our various internal teams.  Candidate should possess extensive knowledge of entertainment contract structures relating to Co-Productions, Licensed, Up To, and Cost Plus deals, as well as have strong interpersonal skills to deal with the daily interactions with Production, Business Affairs, Production Audit, Controllership, FP&A, Legal, and Tax.

Position will have a Senior Financial Analyst reporting to them.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Manage 3rd Party Productions (Passive Co-Productions & PSA’s) and collaborate with 3rd party finance executives to deliver the highest quality original content.
• Review and analyze financial deal terms to improve decision making and profitability for passive co-pro and PSA productions. 
• Perform kick off calls with 3rd Party Producers and maintain open collaborative communication throughout the production life cycle.
• Review 3rd Party Production budgets, cost reports, trial balances, tax incentives, cash flows prepared by lead producers.
• Liaise with FP&A team, including those with various forms of passive co-production, and PSA joint venture financing arrangements. 
• Prepare passive deficit payments, manage accruals and final remittances to 3rd Party Productions.
• Implement and maintain internal controls for 3rd Party Productions to ensure compliance as well as effectiveness within the various co-producers and PSA production companies.
• For Active Co-Financed and Licensed Productions, partner with FP&A to prepare License Fee, Active Deficit and Premium Billing requisitions and deliver to Billing Team for invoice creation.
• Maintain and update Passive and Active Co-Productions and PSA’s cash forecast and accruals for FP&A and Controllership
• Responsible for various month end and some weekly Journal Entries relating to USG allocations.
• Prepare annual budget and responsible for maintaining cost reporting of USG Asset Centers utilized by various USG productions.  Communicate/present monthly financial position to Asset Center Operations team.
• Continue to assess/evaluate current practices, policies, and workflows to be able to make recommendations for improvements to increase efficiencies.

Technical Skills:

• Advanced experience with Excel and other Microsoft / Apple products.
• Knowledge of Entertainment Production Accounting software, such as Vista and PSL.
• Technology savvy, and comfortable working in numerous digital systems and workflows.
• SAP experience preferred.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• BA/BS required. (CPA, MBA or JD/LLM, a plus)
• 7+ years of film and/or television industry production finance or