Aquatic Director

BRANCH LEADERSHIP—Serves as a member of the Branch Leadership Team and participates in Team Leader meetings, Association Aquatic Focus Groups, planning sessions, leadership development, and branch initiatives. Supports Association priorities, collaborates with department leaders, participates in special events, and serves as Director on Duty as assigned. 

MISSION ADVANCEMENT—Advances the YMCA’s mission by building relationships, communicating impact, strengthening the YMCA brand, supporting fundraising and donor stewardship efforts, engaging volunteers, and developing collaborative partnerships that expand aquatic participation, promote water safety, and strengthen community impact. 

MEMBER EXPERIENCE—Creates exceptional experiences through intentional relationship building, excellent customer service, consistent communication, and responsive problem-solving. Builds lasting relationships with members, participants, families, swim team athletes, and community partners while promoting participation across YMCA programs and services. 

FACILITY MANAGEMENT— Oversees the daily operation, appearance, cleanliness, safety, and readiness of aquatic facilities, equipment, and support spaces. Coordinates inspections, preventative maintenance, repairs, equipment replacement needs, and facility improvement recommendations with branch and facilities leadership. 

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT—Develops and manages assigned departmental budgets in partnership with branch leadership. Monitors financial performance, analyzes participation and financial trends, prepares variance information, and implements strategies to achieve enrollment, revenue, retention, and expense goals while ensuring responsible stewardship of YMCA resources. 

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT—Leads the planning, coordination, delivery, and evaluation of assigned aquatic programs, including lifeguard operations, swim lessons, private lessons, water fitness, Lifeguard/CPR/O2/First Aid certification courses, pool rentals, and specialty programs. Coordinates staffing, schedules, equipment, pool space, enrollment, and other operational needs while monitoring quality, participation, safety, compliance, outcomes, and opportunities for growth and improvement. 

RISK MANAGEMENT—Maintains the highest standards of aquatic safety by ensuring compliance with YMCA, state, local, and health department regulations. Oversees lifeguard readiness, emergency action plans, pool chemistry, incident reporting, inspections, certification compliance, emergency drills, child abuse prevention and risk management procedures to provide a safe environment for all participants. Ensures timely completion, review, and follow-up of incident reports and corrective actions. Collaborates with the Risk Manager to implement association-wide aquatic safety standards, address identified risks, and support consistent safety practices across YMCA branches. 

TALENT MANAGEMENT— Recruits, hires, trains, develops, schedules, supervises, evaluates, and recognizes lifeguards, swim instructors, coaches, water fitness instructors, LGI/CPR/FA Trainers, and aquatic support staff. Ensures staff maintain required certifications and provides ongoing coaching, performance management, payroll administration, and department in-service training. Creates a culture of safety, teamwork, accountability, and exceptional service.