Lead Lifeguard - Peninsula Y

The YMCA of Greater San Francisco is a global movement and the nation's leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. We offer careers that make a lasting difference in your community and address pressing social issues.

Organizational Culture

At the YMCA of Greater San Francisco, we are committed to building strong communities where you can Be, Belong, and Become. Our values include:

• Truth & Courage: Understanding and acting on individual and societal truths.
• Authenticity & Accessibility: Ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all.
• Dependable & Creative: Responding to community needs through strong partnerships.
• Dignity & Empathy: Treating everyone with respect and compassion.

Responsibilities

Swim Instruction & Program Supervision

• Follows YMCA Swim program guidelines to help participants build confidence and develop swim skills.
• Supervises swim lesson programs, providing feedback and in-water demonstrations.
• Commits to teaching at least 4 hours of private or group lessons each week; coordinates coverage with supervisor approval.
• Ensures safety of all members and participants during program times while guarding or supervising.
• Performs direct service work (guarding, group lessons, masters, etc.) as needed.

Leadership & Staff Development

• Co-leads and plans monthly lifeguard in-services as needed by the Aquatics Director.
• Conducts lifeguard skill assessments to ensure staff knowledge and preparedness.
• Leads quarterly certification classes in CPR/AED/First Aid/Oxygen and Lifeguarding.
• Assists the Aquatics Director in maintaining staff certifications and ensuring recertification.
• Participates in interviews and assists with the onboarding process for new lifeguards.
• Supports the Aquatics Director in creating and leading lifeguard in-services.

Safety & Emergency Preparedness

• Knows and follows all emergency procedures; provides directions during emergencies and completes incident reports.
• Monitors on-deck safety and equipment use; reports missing or damaged equipment.
• Ensures all necessary equipment is set up before class and cleaned after.
• Ensures safety of all members and participants while on duty.
• Supports audits (daily, weekly, monthly) for equipment checks, capacity counts, drills, and compliance.

Administrative & Operational Support

• Completes required paperwork accurately and timely (timecards, incident reports, progress reports, staff schedules).
• Supports Aquatics Director and Coordinator with administrative tasks related to swim lessons (data entry, registrations, schedule management).
• Maintains all required certifications and notifies supervisors of upcoming expiration dates.
• Manages the lifeguard schedule, including coordinating coverage and supporting staff with shift changes.

Communication & Member Engagement

• Builds genuine relationships with members, students, and parents.
• Encourages parent involvement in activities.
• Creates a welcoming environment by greeting members and learning their names.
• Greets participants, takes attendance, and tracks progress at the end of each session.
• Assists with Aquatics dedicated events.

Professionalism & Accountability

• Maintains a professional appearance and demeanor.
• Arrives on deck ready to work at the scheduled time.
• Adheres to YMCA policies and procedures, ensuring quality and consistency in programming.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 1+ year of lifeguard experience.
• American Red Cross (ARC) Lifeguard certification.
• American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor (LGI) Certification.
• American Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer (CPRO) (best practice is to renew annually).
• American Red Cross First Aid certification.
• American Red Cross Emergency Oxygen Administration certification.
• YMCA Lifeguard Supervisor certification.
• Strong knowledge of swimming and aquatics.
• Must be available to work 40 hours per week (30 hours frontline duties, 10 hours administrative work).
• Must be available to work 5 consecutive days per week, including at least one weekend day and holidays.
• Flexibility to cover varying shift times as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1+ year of supervisory experience.
• Previous experience in competitive swimming.
• Bilingual in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, or other languages.
• Additional relevant certifications (e.g., YASA, ARC WSI, USA Swimming Coach, ASCA).

Work Environment & Physical Demands

The Lead Lifeguard works primarily in an indoor and occasionally outdoor aquatic facility, ensuring the safety of all pool users. This role involves:

• Working in a fast-paced environment with constant interaction with members, staff, and volunteers.
• Physical stamina for tasks such as standing, walking, and participating in swim instruction from the water.
• Ability to swim and remain in or near the water for extended periods.
• Assisting in aquatic emergency situations.
• Lifting and moving up to 50 pounds of equipment.
• Maintaining alertness to supervise swimmers and respond to emergencies.
• Flexible work schedule, including weekdays, weekends, and holidays.

Pay

The Lead Lifeguard position offers a compensation range of $27.00 - $32.00 per hour, based on salary benchmarking and grant fund requirements.