Aquatics Director

at  YMCA

Come join the YMCA of Rapid City Aquatics team in the heart of the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota for the opportunity of a lifetime!
Job Description
Are you ready to make a splash in the world of aquatics and lead a team dedicated to promoting water safety, skill development, and community engagement? The YMCA of Rapid City is actively seeking a passionate individual to take on the role of Aquatics Director, a pivotal position responsible for the overall development, promotion, organization, supervision, and evaluation of YMCA aquatic activities and programs.
In this dynamic leadership role, reporting to the Operations Director, you will be the driving force behind creating an environment that aligns with the YMCA’s mission and core values. You’ll play a crucial part in shaping a culture where the community is strengthened through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
As the Aquatics Director, your responsibilities are multifaceted. You will be at the helm of developing, promoting, conducting, supervising, and evaluating a diverse range of aquatic instruction classes and programs. Your goal is to not only foster positive character development but also enhance skills across various age groups, making aquatics an engaging and enriching experience for families, youth, seniors, teens, and adults alike.
Beyond instructional programs, you will be instrumental in creating and supervising aquatic activities that resonate with the community, fostering enthusiasm, and garnering support for YMCA aquatics. Your strategic approach will contribute to the overarching vision of strengthening the community through a holistic approach to youth development, healthy living practices, and social responsibility.
Recruitment becomes a key aspect of your role, as you seek to bring on board the finest instructors and lifeguards. These individuals, under your guidance, will not only serve as guardians of safety but also as positive role models, ensuring the success and excellence of YMCA aquatic programs.
Training takes center stage, with a commitment to developing and ensuring the training of all YMCA aquatic volunteers and staff. This emphasis extends to upholding YMCA standards of excellence, where continuous improvement is not just encouraged but embedded in the very fabric of your leadership approach.
Safety is paramount, and you will ensure that all areas, including those in public view and storage spaces, are immaculately clean and organized. Compliance with local, state, and federal codes in all aquatic facilities becomes a routine part of your commitment to maintaining the highest standards.
Financial stewardship is another dimension of your role, where you will actively manage income and expenses to meet or exceed budget projections. The recruitment and retention of participants play a significant role in achieving this financial balance, as you work to promote new participants and ensure the continued engagement of existing ones.
Your leadership competencies, ranging from engaging the community to critical thinking and decision-making, will be integral to the success of the aquatics programs. Collaboration, effective communication, and program/project management will be the tools by which you shape a thriving aquatics community within the YMCA.
Qualifications for this role include a four-year degree in recreation, physical education, or a related field, or a minimum of six years of related field experience. Current certifications in lifeguard and swim instruction, preferably YMCA certifications, are essential. An advanced aquatic certification within one year of employment will further enhance your capacity to lead.
If you are ready to dive into a role that combines passion for aquatics with impactful leadership, the YMCA invites you to join as an Aquatics Director. This is not just a job; it’s an opportunity to contribute to the YMCA movement and be at the forefront of building a stronger, safer, and more engaged community through aquatics. Apply now and be the driving force behind a wave of positive change!

Qualifications

• Have a four-year degree in recreation, physical education or related field or have a minimum of six years of related field experience.
• Have current certification in lifeguard and swim instruction with preference in YMCA certifications.
• Obtain advanced aquatic certification within one year of employment that will provide for in-house certifications.
• Have a history of excellence in achieving qualitative and quantitative growth in programs and participants.
• Be passionate about the YMCA mission and vision and must personally advocate and demonstrate the core values of honesty, respect, responsibility and caring.
• Be highly competent in promoting and maintaining safety.
• Demonstrate solid leadership as demonstrated by a high level of loyalty and respect among those this person leads.
• Have a successful history of recruiting, training, supervising and recognizing an outstanding group of staff and volunteers.
• Demonstrate a high degree of knowledge and enthusiasm of aquatics as evidenced by well-trained staff and volunteers, flawlessly organized lessons and programs and maintained pool facilities.

Essential Functions
1. Develop, promote, conduct, supervise and evaluate aquatic instruction classes and other innovative aquatic programs that will result in positive character development, improved skills, great relationships, and fun for families, youth, seniors, teens, and adults.
2. Develop, promote, conduct, supervise and evaluate aquatic activities and programs that will foster and maintain enthusiasm and support for YMCA aquatics and meeting the vision of strengthening the community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
3. Promote new participants and retaining existing participants in such a way that budget projections are met or exceeded.
4. Recruit the finest of instructors, and lifeguards to serve as positive role models and leaders of YMCA aquatic programs.
5. Develop, conduct, and ensure training of all YMCA aquatic volunteers and staff with an emphasis on upholding YMCA standards of excellence.
6. Conduct supervision of YMCA aquatic volunteers and staff such that all YMCA aquatic volunteers and staff understand and successfully achieve their performance objectives.
7. Conduct regularly scheduled aquatic lifeguard in-service trainings to ensure aquatics staff are practicing individual and team-based emergency response skills.
8. Ensure that each YMCA aquatic volunteer and staff is consistently recognized either formally or informally.
9. Ensure that personnel records for each volunteer and staff person are accurate and complete.
10. Ensure the proper maintenance of equipment in such a way that minimizes repairs and/or replacement costs.
11. Ensure that all areas in public view and all storage areas are so neat and clean.
12. Ensure that all aquatic facilities are in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal codes.
13. Ensure that pool maintenance and play are conducted in such a way that prevents any risk of injury or damage.
14. Ensure that the entire aquatic operation is in compliance with YMCA risk management policies such that all participants, volunteers and staff are safe.
15. Recruit and facilitate an association-wide safety management committee charged with providing direction for YMCA safe practices.
16. Develop in coordination with the safety committee initiatives, practices, communication and training designed to communicate safe practices, evaluate incidences to determine improved practices and design and conduct initiatives to promote and maintain a safe environment.
17. Serve as point of contact with the insurance company consultant to conduct site visits and utilize key resources.
18. Conduct the entire aquatic operation in such a way that serves to strengthen community relationships.
19. Ensure that the aquatic information that is posted on the YMCA web site and online registration is updated each session with accurate information
20. Ensure that accurate information is always available for all inquiries.
21. Responds to all personal inquiries within 24hours.
22. Manage and monitor income in such a way that income meets or exceeds budget.
23. Manage and monitor expenses
24. Establish and maintain accurate records of program registration.
25. Establish and maintain a secure inventory of supplies that results in no loss or disappearance.
26. Whatever else that may be needed to further the YMCA movement.

Cause-Driven Leadership Competencies

• Engaging Community
• Collaboration
• Communication & Influence
• Critical Thinking & Decision Making
• Program/Project Management
• Developing Self & Others
• Emotional Maturity

Required Certifications

• Have current certification in lifeguard and swim instruction with preference in YMCA certifications.
• Obtain advanced aquatic certification within one year of employment that will provide for in-house certifications.

Please refer the Job description for details