Embrace & thrive in cooperative culture? Want to be a change leader? Appreciate challenges? We want to learn more about you.
DEPARTMENT PROFILE:
The Springfield, IL YMCA is in Central Illinois. The Springfield Y has 2 full branch facilities as well as program locations in various school and athletic venues throughout the community. With a membership of over 16,000 and an association budget exceeding 6 million, the Springfield Y is a major force in the life of our community, striving to fulfill our promise to our community and living our cause.
The Aquatic Department is the largest department with 3 full time positions and over 70 part-time employees operating in 2 branches with 2 pools at each branch. The pools include a shallow water instructional pool, a 4-lane lap pool, a combination recreation and therapy pool and an 8-lane competitive pool. Department financial responsibility exceeds $500,000.
Swim instruction, water exercise, competition, aquatic safety, recreation and wellness are the foundation of the department. There are 4 aspects of the department that stand out.
- The instructional program is transitioning to the new YUSA lesson model..
- The Y is the primary certified lifeguard provider to the community’s pools in addition to the largest employer of certified lifeguards in the county. Our community outreach includes lifeguard certification classes offered for High School P.E. credit.
- A partnership with a local hospital with their sports and rehab facility is located inside our branch sharing the use of the pools.
- The SPY team has nearly 200 athletes competing at all levels, novice through pre-Olympic. The team operates a budget of $200,000 with 2 full time coaches and additional part time coaches. It has a very supportive parent organization.
The Associate Aquatic Director position reflects the continued growth and success in Aquatics. The primary function of this position is to recruit, cultivate and prepare part time staff to live our cause and engage members through aquatics programs and services. In this role, understanding the Y mission, the program goals and fostering the potential of candidates is foundational to the department’s success. Effective communication, process formulation, data focus and recordkeeping are central skills. If you embrace and thrive in cooperative culture, want to be a change leader and appreciate challenges we would like to learn more about you.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Associate Aquatic Director will work with the aquatic leadership team to develop, plan and implement new and existing procedures and methods to achieve the YMCA of Springfield’s strategic goals and strengthen membership engagement across the association, ensuring these processes and policies are aligned with the Y’s cause and meet the needs of the Y’s staff, members and program participants.
- Stay abreast of current aquatic safety and swim lesson techniques to assist in assessment of incoming staff selection.
- Develop systems which help to strengthening communication among employees, members and participants at both facilities.
- Implement and maintain systems for certification and training tracking for all aquatic personnel.
- Assist with supply ordering and inventory for the department, including but not limited to chemicals, program equipment and parts.
- Hire and onboard all part time aquatic staff through effective systems that help ensure staffing levels are adequate, potential candidates are properly screened for capabilities and quality, new employees are well educated on YMCA policy and processes, allowing branch Aquatic Directors to focus on front line safety and lesson training for both current and incoming employees.
- Oversee private lesson scheduling to ensure timely response to lesson requests while building effective, authentic relationships with students and parents, helping them connect with each other and the YMCA, leading to parent involvement and identification of potential volunteers.
- Review and approve payroll for private lesson instructors.
- In coordination with the branch Aquatic Directors, provide up-to-date pool schedules for each facility to Membership Directors,
- Manage aquatic record keeping for pool usage, staff certifications and lesson enrollments.
- Provide direct, on deck, guard support as necessary at each facility.
- Participate in annual association fundraising and community events.
- Other duties as assigned.
CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPECTATIONS:
- Display a friendly, helpful and positive disposition.
- Provide customer service that is thorough, timely, organized and accurate.
- Help ensure the Y is meeting member and participant needs by utilizing good listening skills, attentiveness, objectivity and patience in all situations.
- Place members and participants as the first and highest priority showing kindness and compassion at all times.
- Demonstrates the Y core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility through all daily activities and responsibilities.
- Bachelor’s degree in related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Certifications: YMCA Lifeguard (or equivalent), CPR for the Professional Rescuer, AED, Basic First Aid and Emergency Oxygen To be obtained immediately upon hire if not currently certified.
- Preferred Certifications: YMCA Swim Lesson Program - 2017 and YMCA Lifeguard Instructor.
- Experience in recruitment, interviewing, orientation and onboarding highly preferred.
- Strong personal computer skills and experience with standard business software.
- Must demonstrate ability to meet essential functions in accordance with YMCA of Springfield standards.
- Additional experience in program development, community outreach and expanding markets.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Ability to 40-plus hours per week with irregular work hours.
- Exposure to communicable diseases and bodily fluids.
- Ability to stand or sit while maintaining alertness for several hours at a time.
- Position requires bending, leaning, kneeling, and walking.
- Ability to speak concisely and effectively communicate.
- Visual and auditory ability to respond to critical situations and physical ability to act swiftly in an emergency.
- Ability to view/enter data for long periods of time.