The Senior Royalty Manager will lead and manage a small squad of Royalty
Managers responsible for the accurate and timely preparation, analysis, review,
and issuance of royalty statements to authors, agents, and other contractual
parties for the Macmillan US Trade division. This team management role carries
full accountability for the accuracy and integrity of the team’s end-to-end
royalty operations. In addition, the role will collaborate extensively with
various departments within the organization, as well as external parties, to
ensure transparency, accuracy, and trust in royalty-related operations.
What you’ll do:
Lead and Manage a Squad of Royalty Managers:
Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of 2-3 Royalty Managers, fostering a
collaborative and high-performing environment. This includes the review and
assistance of adjustments, corrections, and complex contract setup, when
needed.
Develop team capabilities and set team goals, priorities, and performance
expectations, ensuring alignment with departmental and organizational
objectives.
Oversee the assignment of tasks and responsibilities within the team,
ensuring efficient workflow, coverage, and that all deadlines are met.
Conduct regular team meetings, providing updates, addressing challenges, and
facilitating knowledge sharing.
Conduct performance reviews and provide ongoing feedback and coaching to team
members.
Royalty Statement Preparation and Analysis
Own royalty statement preparation and issuance for an imprint
Review and apply contract terms, and oversee payee setup in the royalty
system
Review and analyze sales data interfacing with the royalty system,
ensuring accuracy and completeness
Post expenses, fees, and deductions to the royalty system
Complete initial and subsequent reviews of royalty statements to guarantee
accuracy and compliance with contract terms and company policy
Calculate and record reserves for returns in accordance with contract
terms and company policy
Prepare manual adjustments and statements when required
Manage contracts and payments:
Process new contracts and amendments for an imprint on a regular basis
Review, code, and approve advance and payment requests, ensuring adherence
to contract terms and internal controls
Ensure compliance with US and foreign tax withholding, reporting, and
filing requirements related to advances, royalties, and subrights payments
Issue Resolution and Communication
Act as a point of escalation for complex royalty-related issues, working
collaboratively with business units and other departments to find effective
resolutions.
Communicate clearly to internal and external stakeholders (agents, authors,
etc.) regarding escalated inquiries and requests around Royalty statements.
Foster positive and professional relationships with external stakeholders.
Continuous Improvement
Work with the Associate Director and other Senior Royalty Manager to
identify recurring issues or risk areas and lead resolution
Contribute to the development and implementation of process improvements and
best practices within the Royalty department.
Assist Royalty Management leadership with workflow and resourcing across the
team as needed, including serving as backup for the weekly and period-end
payment process, as needed
What you’ll bring:
Proven experience leading and developing high-performing teams, fostering a
culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Deep understanding of royalty operations, complex payment structures,
contract royalty terms, and their practical application to statement
preparation
Detail-oriented and analytical, with sound judgment and a track record of
catching and resolving discrepancies
Exceptional verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, with
the confidence to engage effectively with all levels of the organization and
external stakeholders.
Highly proficient with Microsoft Excel, Google Workspace, databases, and
system queries.
Excellent organizational skills; able to manage high volumes of data, meet
deadlines, and multitask in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Strong organizational and resourceful skills with the ability to lead change,
manage cross-functional initiatives, and navigate unexpected events.
Highly degree of personal and professional integrity, with a commitment to
accuracy, transparency, and service excellence.
Ideal Experience/Education:
5+ years of progressive experience in royalty accounting and statement
preparation, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or team lead role.
Extensive experience with royalty contracts and their application.
Book publishing experience preferred
Proficiency with Biblio royalty platform strongly preferred
Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance preferred, or equivalent experience
Salary range: $115,000 - $120,000
FSLA status: Exempt
This position is classified as remote but is tied to our New York, NY office
located at 120 Broadway. Employment is subject to New York State tax withholding
under applicable regulations.
Macmillan Publishers is the U.S. trade company that is part of the Holtzbrinck
Publishing Group, a large family-owned group of media companies headquartered in
Stuttgart, Germany. Holtzbrinck Publishing Group's publishing companies include
prominent imprints around the world that publish a broad range of award-winning
books for children and adults in all categories and formats.
U.S. publishers include Celadon Books, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Flatiron
Books, Henry Holt & Company, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Children’s Publishing
Group, The St. Martin's Publishing Group, and Tor Publishing Group. In the UK,
Australia, India, and South Africa, companies in the Holtzbrinck Publishing
Group publish under the Pan Macmillan name. The German publishing company,
Holtzbrinck Deutsche Buchverlage, includes among its imprints S. Fischer,
Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Rowohlt, and Droemer Knaur.
Macmillan is proud to be an equal opportunity employer consistently striving to
foster a culture where everyone belongs. We welcome applicants of all
backgrounds and identities. Qualified applicants are evaluated without regard to
race, color, religion, age, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation,
gender identity or expression, disability status, physical ability,
neurodiversity, genetic information, protected veteran status, family and
economic status and background or any other characteristic protected by federal,
state, or local law. We prohibit discrimination of any kind and will provide
reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in
accordance with applicable law.