The posting
Job Summary:
The Creative Publishing Specialist leads Gateway's songwriting and publishing function, responsible for building a strong writer pipeline and helping the brands of Gateway Music write & record songs that represent the ministry of Gateway well. This person owns the health of Gateway's songwriting culture, cultivating relationships with staff and outside songwriters, organizing co-writes and songwriting camps, and shepherding songs from first idea through demo, revision, and final selection. They manage song selection and pitching for all Gateway Music projects, working with leadership to guarantee that the right songs land on the projects while partnering with the Gateway Music Operations Specialist to keep publishing administration current and metadata aligned with Marketing at release. Above all, this role ensures that what gets written and recorded reflects Gateway's creative and theological vision, and that no song or writer relationship falls through the cracks along the way.
Principal Job Responsibilities:
- Builds relationships with songwriters both internally and externally
- Schedules and organizes co-writing sessions, pairing songwriters, artists, and producers based on style and chemistry
- Sets songwriting goals and deadlines tied to departmental planning
- Owns the responsibility to develop a healthy songwriting culture at Gateway
- Tracks each song's progress from initial idea through demo, revision, and final approval
- Reviews song submissions and demos, giving feedback on lyrics, theology, melody, and commercial or congregational fit
- Pitches songs to outside artists, labels, and A&R for specific projects or release slots
- Maintains a song catalog/tracker with writer credits, splits, status, and pitch history so nothing gets lost
- Plans and manages songwriting camps end-to-end: sets themes and goals, books venues and dates, invites and schedules writers/artists/producers into rooms, handles logistics and budget, and runs follow-up to make sure songs written at camp get finished, registered, and pitched
- Manages ongoing relationships with outside/independent songwriters not on staff, serving as their main point of contact, keeping them updated on upcoming projects and needs, and cultivating trust
- Builds and maintains relationships with outside publishers and their rosters
- Coordinates with the Gateway Music Operations Specialist to ensure metadata is passed along for publishing new songs (split sheets, registration with PROs, copyright documentation) upon song submission
- Communicates the label's creative and ministry vision to writers so submitted songs align with brand theology of the house
- Follows up with songwriters on unfinished or shelved songs to keep the pipeline moving
- Manages the song selection process for all Gateway Music projects
- Stays current on trends in worship and Christian music to guide writers toward relevant themes and sounds
- Partners with Marketing on release metadata and credits so what publishes matches what is registered
- Is present and serving at weekend services and churchwide events as the ministry calendar requires
- Performs other duties as assigned.
As a member of the Gateway Church team, this position is expected to support, recruit, and develop Serve Team members, and to serve alongside the broader team as ministry and organizational needs arise.
General Skills & Qualifications:
- A clear passion for Jesus and a strong biblical foundation
- Specialized working knowledge of worship songs, songwriters and publishing systems and administration
- Familiarity with performing rights organizations, CCLI, and rights administration platforms
- Exceptional attention to detail, particularly with splits, metadata, and ownership records
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to review songs and provide great feedback
- Able to handle agreements and writer information with discretion and confidentiality
- Able to work independently and cultivate a healthy songwriting culture
- Strong time-management skills and the ability to hold several priorities at once
- Proficient in Microsoft Office and able to learn and function within new software and systems
Education/Certification(s):
- Bachelor's degree in music business, business administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience — required
- Two or more years of music publishing, rights administration, or licensing experience — preferred
- Prior experience with performing rights organizations, CCLI reporting, or royalty administration — preferred
General Physical Requirements:
The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to:
- Sit or stand for extended periods of time
- Occasionally kneel or crouch
- Frequently lift and/or move up to 10 lbs.
- Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 lbs.
*This description is not all inclusive, and other duties may be assigned as necessary.
Gateway Church does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law as it applies to churches. However, Gateway Church does discriminate on the basis of religion.
Employment Requirement: Must be a member or become a member of Gateway Church upon employment.
