Swim Instructor
WEST END YMCA JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: Group Swim Instructor | Job Code: 310601 |
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt | Job Classification: C |
Reports to: Operations Director | Revision Date: 06.19.2026 |
POSITION SUMMARY:
The YMCA is a leading non-profit that continues to strengthen communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. As one of the nation’s largest providers of swim lessons, we strive to promote confidence and safety in and around the water. A lifeguard and swim instructor at the Scheu Family YMCA creates a safe and positive atmosphere that welcomes all individuals while promoting and sustaining safe conditions for the pool and surrounding areas in accordance with YMCA policies and procedures. Lifeguards and swim instructors at the Scheu Family YMCA are also expected to present themselves in an exemplary manner while maintaining an upbeat, optimistic, and passionate attitude about the YMCA during their shifts.
OUR CULTURE:
Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. In the Y, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day. We are welcoming: we are open to all. We are a place where you can belong and become. We are genuine: we value you and embrace your individuality. We are hopeful: we believe in you and your potential to become a catalyst in the world. We are nurturing: we support you in your journey to develop your full potential. We are determined: above all else, we are on a relentless quest to make our community stronger beginning with you.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Instructs swim lessons in accordance with YMCA of the USA guidelines and curriculum, having prepared lesson plans accordingly and adapting instruction to meet the individual needs and abilities of participants.
- Ensures equipment is prepared, maintained in good condition, and ready at the start of lesson time.
- Maintains professionalism and wears required professional attire, including YMCA-issued apparel and rash guards.
- Models safety awareness during scheduled shifts and maintains active supervision of participants at all times.
- Builds effective, genuine relationships with students and parents; helps them connect with each other and the YMCA while encouraging parent involvement and supporting participant retention.
- Parent and guardian engagement is an essential function of this position. Instructors are expected to provide regular feedback regarding swimmer progress, recommendations for advancement, and answer questions in a professional and welcoming manner.
- Swim instructor skills must meet YMCA of the USA expectations, and all evaluations, audits, and skills assessments must meet required standards to pass.
- Maintains accurate records as required, including attendance, weekly reports, curriculum tracking, achievement cards, participant evaluations, and skill progression documentation.
- Completes curriculum tracking and participant assessments in a timely manner to ensure proper swimmer placement and advancement through YMCA stages.
- Attends all mandatory monthly in-service trainings, staff meetings, and additional trainings as required.
- Follows all YMCA policies, rules, regulations, and procedures, including emergency action plans, safety procedures, and standards of conduct.
- Completes incident and accident reports accurately and promptly as necessary.
- Provides exceptional customer service to all members, guests, and participants and serves as a positive ambassador of the YMCA mission and core values.
- Maintains attentiveness and remains free from distractions while actively instructing and supervising participants.
- Begins and ends classes on time and maintains organized and efficient class transitions.
- Demonstrates professionalism, maturity, and sound judgment when interacting with participants, parents, members, and fellow staff.
- Communicates concerns, behavioral issues, incidents, and participant needs promptly to supervisors and completes all required documentation.
- Accepts coaching and feedback professionally and demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and instructional excellence.
- Maintains confidentiality regarding participants, families, staff, and YMCA operations.
- Promotes YMCA programs and services and assists with participant evaluations and stage recommendations to support enrollment growth and member retention.
- Maintains all required certifications and successfully completes required audits and continuing education requirements.
- Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to teach various age groups, skill levels, and class formats based on operational needs.
- Collaborates effectively with lifeguards, deck supervisors, coordinators, and other instructors to maintain a safe, professional, and high-quality aquatic environment.
- Completes all other duties as assigned.
- Understands that participant safety, instructional quality, and professionalism are the highest priorities and that failure to maintain these standards may result in corrective action up to and including termination.
- Maintains a minimum attendance rate of 90% for all scheduled classes, meetings, trainings, and assigned shifts, demonstrating reliability, professionalism, and punctuality.
- Recognizes that consistency and quality instruction are essential to participant success and member satisfaction. Class cancellations and absences should be limited to unforeseen emergencies and should not become a common occurrence. Instructors are expected to communicate scheduling conflicts promptly to leadership and provide as much advance notice as possible. Excessive absences, tardiness, or avoidable cancellations may result in corrective action and/or removal from teaching assignments.
- This is an in-person job and duties as such cannot be performed remotely.
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES:
- Developing Self & Others
- Engaging Community
- Critical Thinking and Decision Making
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Minimum age of 16
- Obtains current certifications in the following courses: YMCA Lifeguard V6, YMCA Swim Lesson Instructor, ASHI Basic Life Support, First Aid and Emergency Oxygen within 60 days of hire.
- Maintains vigilance in entire zone of surveillance that include distress signals in and around the aquatic environment.
- Demonstrates ability to prevent, recognize and respond to swimmers in need of assistance and maintain a duty to act in an emergency.
- Ability to work in a diverse role with different ages groups.
- Ability to model exemplary behavior.
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job, either with or without reasonable accommodation.
- The employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment.
- The employee must occasionally lift, push, pull and/or move up to 40 pounds.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
- Sufficient strength, agility, and mobility to perform essential functions of position and to supervise program activities.
- Remain alert with no lapses of consciousness.
- Physical ability to act swiftly in an emergency.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee frequently is required to stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, crawl, talk, hear, stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms.
SIGNATURE:
I have reviewed and understand this job description
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