Aquatics Manager

Midtown Athletic Club; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complimentary club membership

Discounts on Midtown products and/or—/

Access to hundreds of free courses for

Health insurance for eligible full‑tim

Job summary

Midtown Athletic Club in Chicago is seeking an Aquatics Manager to lead our world-class aquatics team and inspire members through movement, community, and personal attention.

This full-time leadership role oversees lifeguards, instructors, and coaches; drives program growth, safety, and financial performance while mentoring a high-performing staff.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of aquatics management, talent development, and programming experience.
• Proven leadership experience managing teams and developing future leaders.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organizational, operational, and financial management capabilities.
• Ability to provide multisensory instruction using auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic learning methods.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative, high-performing teams.
• AFO certification or equivalent; CPR/AED and First Aid certifications.

Responsibilities

• Deliver an exceptional member experience across all aquatics offerings.
• Engage more members in more programs and with more coaches.
• Lead a youth swim program serving more than 400 participants monthly.
• Oversee private youth and adult swim lessons, group swim instruction, and competitive swim team programming.
• Develop, deliver, measure, and continuously improve aquatics programs to drive participation and retention.
• Address member concerns promptly and professionally while building lasting relationships.
• Recruit, onboard, train, and develop top talent; create a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Oversee aquatics safety, risk management, and compliance with standards.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Team development

Operational management

Safety compliance

Customer service

Job description

Midtown is looking for an Aquatics Manager to lead our world-class Aquatics team.

As an integral part of the leadership team, our Aquatics Manager inspires members through movement, community, and personal attention. They encourage active, social, and healthier lives while bringing Midtown's core values to life every day:

• Win Together – Foster collaboration across teams, coaches, instructors, and members to achieve shared success.
• Kind – Lead with empathy, respect, and genuine care for members and associates.
• Passionate About Helping Others – Create life-changing experiences through aquatics programming, coaching, and mentorship.
• Better Than Yesterday – Continuously improve programs, processes, member experiences, and team development.
• Glass Half Full – Maintain a positive, solution-oriented mindset and inspire others through challenges and opportunities.

Position Summary

The Aquatics Manager is a full-time, salaried leadership role responsible for overseeing all aspects of Midtown's aquatics operation. This position leads a high-performing team that delivers exceptional experiences to more than 400 youth swim participants each month, while also supporting private lessons, adult swim programs, swim team operations, and aquatic safety initiatives. The Aquatics Manager leads and develops an Assistant Aquatics Manager and Aquatics Coordinator, who help oversee lifeguards, swim instructors, private swim programming, and team operations. This leader ensures operational excellence, member satisfaction, program growth, financial performance, and the ongoing development of aquatics associates.

Key Responsibilities

• Member Experience & Program Leadership
  • Deliver an exceptional member experience across all aquatics offerings.
  • Engage more members in more programs and with more coaches.
  • Lead a youth swim program serving more than 400 participants monthly.
  • Oversee private youth and adult swim lessons, group swim instruction, and competitive swim team programming.
  • Develop, deliver, measure, and continuously improve aquatics programs to drive participation and retention.
  • Address member concerns promptly and professionally while building lasting relationships.
• Team Leadership & Development
  • Lead, coach, and develop the Assistant Aquatics Manager, Aquatics Coordinator, swim instructors, coaches, and lifeguards.
  • Monitor aquatics associates' development and career pathways.
  • Conduct annual talent reviews and performance evaluations for aquatics associates.
  • Recruit, onboard, train, and develop top talent.
  • Create a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Operations & Safety
  • Develop and maintain aquatics areas to promote an enjoyable, safe, and engaging experience.
  • Ensure compliance with all local, state, and company safety standards.
  • Oversee aquatic risk management programs and emergency response procedures.
  • Maintain staffing plans and schedules to support member demand and operational needs.
  • Ensure all certifications, trainings, and compliance documentation remain current.
• Business & Financial Management
  • Oversee the annual aquatics budget and departmental financial performance.
  • Monitor key performance indicators including participation, retention, staffing, and program profitability.
  • Identify opportunities to grow revenue through programming and member engagement initiatives.
  • Partner with club leadership to achieve organizational goals and strategic priorities.

Qualifications

• Required
  • Five or more years of aquatics management, talent development, and programming experience.
  • Proven leadership experience managing teams and developing future leaders.
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.
  • Strong organizational, operational, and financial management capabilities.
  • Ability to provide multisensory instruction using auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic learning methods.
  • Demonstrated ability to build collaborative, high-performing teams.
• Certifications
  • Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) certification or equivalent.
  • Current CPR/AED certification.
  • Current First Aid certification.

Compensation

Salary: $75,000 - $85,000 annually. Additional compensation includes up to 10 hours of aquatics coaching.

Associate Benefits

• Complimentary club membership.
• Discounts on Midtown products and services.
• Access to hundreds of free courses for professional development.
• Health insurance for eligible full-time associates (30+ hours a week).
• And more.

At Midtown, our Aquatics Manager doesn't simply manage a department—they create a community where members, families, and associates can thrive.

Midtown is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

This job description is intended to describe the general requirements for the position. It is not a complete statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Other duties not listed here may be assigned as necessary to ensure the proper operations of the department.