Lead Lifeguard - Peninsula Y

YMCA of Greater San Francisco; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 37,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lead Lifeguard at YMCA of Greater San Francisco is responsible for pool safety and emergency response, providing leadership to fellow lifeguards and ensuring staff follow procedures to deliver quality service. The role combines front-line guarding with administrative duties, including scheduling, coverage, records, and facility upkeep, while maintaining a welcoming environment for members.

The position requires 40 hours per week, including weekends and holidays, and certification in ARC

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 1+ year of lifeguard experience
• ARC Lifeguard certification
• Lifeguard Instructor (LGI) certification
• CPR for the Professional Rescuer (CPRO) with annual renewal recommended
• First Aid certification
• Emergency Oxygen Administration certification
• YMCA Lifeguard Supervisor certification
• Strong knowledge of swimming and aquatics.
• Must be available to work 40 hours per week including 30 hours frontline duties and 10 hours administrative work; position does not exceed 40 hours per week.
• Must be available to work 5 consecutive days per week, including at least one weekend day and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Follows YMCA Swim program guidelines and supervises swim lesson programs.
• Provides in-water demonstrations and feedback.
• Delivers at least 4 hours of private or group lessons weekly and coordinates coverage.
• Ensures safety during program times and guards or supervises.
• Performs direct service work as needed (guarding, lessons, masters).
• Leads lifeguard in-services and cert classes to meet needs.
• Maintains staff certifications and assists with recertification.
• Participates in interviews and onboarding of new lifeguards.
• Supports Aquatics Director in creating and leading in-services.
• Completes paperwork: timecards, incident reports, schedules.

Skills

Lifeguard experience

ARC Lifeguard certification

LGI Certification

CPR for the Professional Rescuer

First Aid certification

Emergency Oxygen Administration

YMCA Lifeguard Supervisor

Swimming knowledge

40-hour workweek

Weekend/holiday availability

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

• Base Pay $27.00 - $32.00 / Hour
• Job Category Lead, Aquatics
• Employee Type Hourly - Full Time
• Required Degree High school

Description

Careers by Empowering Futures, Building Communities

Imagine going to work each day knowing that your efforts positively impact individuals and communities. As a global movement and the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, the YMCA of Greater San Francisco offers more than just a job—we offer a career with a future and the opportunity to make a lasting difference in your community. At the Y, you can uncover your passion and build a lifelong career addressing some of the nation's most pressing social issues.

Our Organizational Culture

At the YMCA of Greater San Francisco, we are committed to demonstrating values that aim to building strong communities where you can Be, Belong and Become. With Truth & Courage, we strive to understand and act on individual and societal truths. We ensure a safe and inclusive environment with Authenticity & Accessibility, allowing everyone to participate according to their needs. Our approach is Dependable & Creative, as we respond to community needs through strong partnerships. Above all, we embody Dignity & Empathy, treating everyone with respect and compassion, and recognizing the inherent dignity in all individuals.

Requirements

Qualifications

Certain required qualifications may be obtained within 90 days of hire, depending on the position’s needs and organizational 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 including:
  • 30 hours of frontline duties and 10 hours of administrative work.
  • Position does not exceed 40 hours per week.
• 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)

Summary

Position Summary

The Lead Lifeguard is responsible for maintaining the safety of the pool and surrounding areas while responding appropriately to emergencies. This position provides leadership to fellow lifeguards, ensuring that all staff follow established procedures and deliver quality customer service. The Lead Lifeguard is also responsible for keeping the pool area organized and clean, including the staff office, storage room, and pool deck.

The Lead Lifeguard maintains a positive, professional, and welcoming attitude while interacting with members and staff from diverse backgrounds. In addition to lifeguarding duties, this role includes administrative responsibilities such as scheduling lifeguards, finding coverage for shifts, maintaining records, and ensuring proper documentation for staff and pool operations.

Job Responsibilities

Swim Instruction & Program Supervision

• Follows YMCA Swim program guidelines in alignment with national policies and inhouse practices, helping program participants build confidence and develop swim skills.
• Supervises swim lesson programs as needed, providing constructive feedback and inwater demonstrations when necessary.
• Commits to teaching at least 4 hours of private or group lessons each week and coordinates coverage as needed with supervisor approval.
• Ensures the safety of all members and participants during program times while guarding or supervising.
• Willing to perform 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 as directed by the Aquatics Director to ensure staff knowledge and preparedness.
• Leads quarterly certification classes in CPR/AED/First Aid/Oxygen and Lifeguarding to meet the branch or YSF association needs.
• Assists the Aquatics Director in maintaining staff certifications and ensuring recertification as needed.
• 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 as needed.
• Monitors on-deck safety and equipment use and reports any missing or damaged equipment to the supervisor.
• Ensures all necessary equipment is set up before class and cleaned after.
• Ensures the 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 all paperwork accurately and timely, including timecards, incident reports, progress reports, staff schedules, and other assigned duties.
• Assists the Aquatics Director and Aquatics Coordinator with administrative duties related to group and private swim lessons, such as entries, registrations, and staff schedules.
• Maintains all required certifications and notifies supervisor(s) when certification expiration dates are approaching.

Communication & Member Engagement

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

Professionalism & Accountability

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

Work Environment & Physical Demands

The Lead Lifeguard position involves working primarily within an indoor and occasionally outdoor aquatic facility, ensuring the safety of all pool users. This role involves working in a fast-paced environment, requiring constant interaction with members, staff, and volunteers. The position demands physical stamina and the ability to perform tasks in a variety of aquatic settings, including standing, walking, and participating in swim instruction from the water.

The Lead Lifeguard physical demands include the ability to swim, remain in or near the water for extended periods, and assist in aquatic emergency situations. The Lead Swim Instructor must be able to lift and move up to 50 pounds of equipment, maintain alertness, and supervise swimmers. This role may require responding to emergencies promptly and maintaining safety standards.

The position also requires a commitment to a flexible work schedule, including weekdays, weekends, and holidays, with responsibilities involving both hands-on instruction and administrative duties. The Lead Lifeguard must be able to balance the physical demands with the administrative tasks.

Disclaimers

• Must successfully complete a background screening, including criminal and employment verification. Some positions may also require a credit check.
• All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. The YMCA of Greater San Francisco promotes an equal employment opportunity workplace, which includes reasonable accommodation for otherwise qualified disabled applicants and employees. Please contact your manager if you have any questions about this policy or these job duties.
• This job description may not be all-inclusive, and employees are expected to perform other duties as assigned by management. Job descriptions and duties may be modified by management as needed.
• Job offers are conditional and contingent upon background clearance. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and CA Fair Chance Act, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.

Salary Description

The Lead Lifeguard position offers a compensation range of $27.00 - $32.00 per hour. This rate is based on salary benchmarking for similar roles and is aligned with grant fund approvals and requirements for the position.