Senior Lifeguard/Instructor

Town of Saugeen Shores; Port Elgin; On-site; CAD 54,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

10 paid personal days

Extended health and dental benefits

OMERS pension plan

Learning and development opportunities

Aquatic Centre Employee Access Options

Job summary

Town of Saugeen Shores in Port Elgin, Ontario, is seeking a Senior Lifeguard/Instructor to ensure safe supervision and operation of our aquatics facility and programs. Reporting to the Aquatics Supervisor, you’ll deliver high‑quality swim programs, coach staff, and maintain safety compliance in alignment with provincial guidelines.

The role requires current National Lifeguard and Swim Instructor certifications, plus strong customer service and leadership skills to engage participants and

Qualifications

• Current National Lifeguard certification and lifeguard competencies.
• Formal instructor certifications for swimmers and safety.
• First aid and aquatic supervision training are required.
• Ability to operate with accuracy in monitoring and reporting.
• Experience coordinating programs and communicating with families.

Responsibilities

• Perform lifeguarding functions and ensure patron safety.
• Lead pool staff and coordinate rotations and signals.
• Plan and deliver high quality swim programs for all levels.
• Prepare lesson plans and adapt activities to participants.
• Open/close facility and maintain a safe, clean program space.
• Provide front-line customer service and communicate with parents.

Skills

Adaptability

Communication

Confidentiality

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Leadership

Teamwork

Education

National Lifeguard certification

Lifesaving Swim Instructor certification

Lifesaving Swim Instructor and Examiner Certification

Standard First Aid certification

Aquatic Supervisor Training (AST)

Pool Operators 1 & 2 (asset)

Aquatic Fitness training / LSS coaching (asset)

Tools

Excel

Word

Outlook

Job description

Requisition Number: 2026

Posted: August 06, 2026

Position Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Location: Port Elgin, ON

Hours: 35 hours per week, including evenings and weekends

Salary: $53,632 to $60,946 per year (depending on experience and qualifications)

Number of Vacancies: 1 (current vacancy for organization)

Saugeen Shores

Choosing to work and live in Saugeen Shores gives you an unparalleled choice of easy-going lifestyles, economic opportunities and nature at every turn. You can truly create your own village in this growing, diverse community of neighbourhoods and amenities. You can replace long commutes with easy lakeshore rides. You can choose to be as active or relaxed as you want to be. You can make all these great choices without sacrificing family life, schools, and even access to the wide world. Nestled on the shores of Lake Huron with forests and farms all around, Saugeen Shores is the promise of both cities and towns, wrapped in a village.

The Team

We take our team-first culture so seriously; we wrote a Team Saugeen Charter to celebrate and protect it. Our shared role is to keep Saugeen Shores safe, well-serviced, growing and vibrant in ways that respect the public and reflect our members. We develop careers from the inside first. We engage each other personally and professionally. We welcome change. we embrace new ideas. We do more than live with work processes; we seek to continuously improve them. And we have each other's backs - because that is what great teams do.

What We Offer You

• 10 paid personal days in addition to a generous number of vacation days per year.
• Comprehensive extended health and dental benefits, including an Employee and Family Assistance Plan.
• Enrollment in the OMERS pension plan.
• A passion for investing in our workforce through continuous learning and development.
• Pryde Aquatic and Wellness Centre Employee Access Options

About The Role

We are searching for an enthusiastic and dedicated individual to join our Aquatics team. As the Senior Lifeguard/Instructor, reporting to the Aquatics Supervisor, you will ensure safe supervision and operation of the facility and programs in accordance with applicable legislation and regulations, and in coordination with the Aquatic Supervisor.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform lifeguarding functions, according to Provincial and Town of Saugeen Shores’ guidelines.
• Maintain complete vigilance while on duty and be ready to respond to any emergency.
• Supervise patrons to ensure their safety and monitor patron headcount to ensure correct patron-to-lifeguard ratio.
• Work as a part of an effective lifeguard team to ensure proper positioning, rotations and communication including verbal, hand signals and whistles.
• Lead pool staff to ensure that staff are qualified and performing duties in a safe and courteous manner.
• Plan, organize, and deliver high quality, safe, and stimulating swim programs including Swim to Survive, Swim to Survive plus, school groups and swimming lessons, and advanced aquatics courses for all levels of participants.
• Prepare lesson plans, showing initiative in providing an interesting program and/or service, implementing special events or activities within sessions.
• Keep current with industry trends and class formats.
• Complete and review report cards for all program participants in class
• Assist other instructors with lesson plan preparation.
• Communicate with parents/guardian of students on a regular basis.
• Perform general maintenance and cleaning of the Pool including pool tests and inspections and oversee the aquatics instructors to ensure staff are completing required cleaning and inspections on an ongoing basis.
• Open and close facility in accordance with facility procedures.
• Maintain a safe and tidy program space ensuring equipment is set-up and stored appropriately.
• Provide a high level of front-line customer service, greeting and engaging participants.
• Promote water safety within the community.
• Respond to inquiries and concerns from the public, participants, and/or parents.
• Assist the Aquatics Supervisor and Pool Deck Coordinator with planning and executing training activities, special events/programs, and school programs.

What You Bring To The Role

• Adaptability: You can adapt efficiently and effectively in response to new processes and changing circumstances.
• Communication: You have proven ability to communicate successfully and confidently both verbally and in writing.
• Confidentiality: You respect and maintain confidentiality and exhibit professionalism in all interactions.
• Customer Service: You create a positive experience when interacting with customers through communication, patience, empathy, and technical knowledge.
• Interpersonal Skills: You exhibit strong interpersonal skills that allow one to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Leadership: You are driven and highly motivated to lead others towards a common goal and proactively seek solutions that benefit all.
• Teamwork: You can work with others toward a shared goal. You encourage and support your colleagues by offering for help and asking for help when needed.

Education/Specialized Training

• Current National Lifeguard certification
• Current Lifesaving Swim Instructor certification
• Current Lifesaving Swim Instructor and Examiner Certification
• Current Standard First Aid certification
• Aquatic Supervisor Training (AST) certification
• Pool Operators 1 & 2 is an asset.
• Aquatic Fitness training and LSS coaching is an asset.

Experience And Knowledge

• A minimum of two (2) years of related work experience
• The ability to perform tasks and duties in a safe and efficient manner.
• Computer skills including (but not limited to) Excel, Word, and Outlook
• Ability to liaise with the public and give direction when required.
• Customer service experience is an asset.
• A satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check is required.

The Town of Saugeen Shores is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes and work environments. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We will accommodate the needs of applicants under the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The Town of Saugeen Shores will make every effort to accommodate applicants with disabilities in its recruitment and selection process. Information received relating to accommodation needs of applicants will be addressed confidentially in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990 and will be used for the purpose of this employment opportunity only.

If you require an accommodation to submit your resume for an employment opportunity, or for more information on accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact the Human Resources Coordinator at [e-mail] or by phone at 519-832-2008 x.161.