Swim Instructor - Marion

YMCA of Western North Carolina; Marion (NC); On-site; USD 16,531 - 22,041; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Free YMCA Membership

Career Development & Training Opportun

Free and Reduced‑Price Child Care

Excellent Work‑Life Balance

Job summary

YMCA of Western North Carolina is seeking a part-time Swim Instructor to lead swimming classes for all ages and abilities. You will provide excellent customer service to promote aquatics programs and uphold water-safety standards.

The role emphasizes instruction, student engagement, and timely communication with families, while adhering to YMCA policies and safety procedures. A positive, energetic approach is essential.

Qualifications

• Must be able to perform rescue and survival skills.
• Strong communication with students and parents.
• Commitment to safety and following YMCA guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Instruct swimming lessons following YMCA guidelines and prepared lesson plans.
• Build relationships with students and families to promote programs.
• Maintain accurate attendance and progress records for each session.
• Ensure safety of all participants during every class.
• Attend staff meetings and training as scheduled.

Skills

Swim instruction

Customer service

Safety awareness

Job description

About Us

The nonprofit YMCA of Western North Carolina strengthens local communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Founded in 1889, we engage more than 100,000 people – regardless of age, income, or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the region’s health and well‑being, and provide opportunities to give back and support the community. We do this through seven YMCAs, dozens of program sites, and YMCA Camp Watia. As the state’s largest provider of licensed school‑age childcare, we give more than 1,000 children a day the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. We are made up of people of all ages, from all backgrounds, working side by side to ensure that everyone can reach their full potential with dignity. Thus, we are “For All”. Our core values are caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility, and they guide everything we do. We are committed to being an organization that exposes and addresses social constraints that limit and/or negatively affect all humans from all walks of life. We recruit staff who are passionate about giving back to the community, helping people, and upholding our core values. For more information, please visit ymcawnc.org.

About the Role

As the Swim Instructor, you will provide direct leadership, instruction, and motivation for students in swimming classes of all ages and abilities. In addition, you will provide exceptional customer service to promote aquatics programs and the YMCA. The YMCA is a leading nonprofit for strengthening the community and the nation’s largest provider of swim lessons to increase skills related to safety around water.

Essential Functions

• Instructs swimming lessons in accordance with YMCA guidelines, having prepared lesson plans accordingly.
• Builds effective, authentic relationships with students and parents; helps them connect with each other and the YMCA.
• Encourages parent involvement and identifies potential volunteers.
• Provides exceptional customer service to promote the aquatics program and the YMCA.
• Conveys information on aquatics programs and schedules and, as appropriate, refers students and parents to other programs.
• Ensures the safety of each swim lesson class participant at all times.
• Maintains accurate participant records for each session, including each participant's attendance and skill progress.
• Attends all staff meetings and training as scheduled.
• Follows all YMCA policies, rules, regulations, and procedures, including emergency and safety procedures. Completes incident and accident reports as needed.
• Organizes and puts away needed class equipment. Reports damaged equipment to the aquatics leadership.
• Trains and supervises class aides as needed.
• Initiates communications with the Aquatics Leadership as necessary concerning program problems, personal conflicts, and member concerns.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

About You

• Must be 15 years of age or older, preferably with previous swim instructing experience.
• Must successfully complete the following certifications within their first 60 days:
  • Accredited Swim Lesson Instructor (YMCA, ARC, or equivalent)
  • CPR for the Professional Rescuer
  • Standard First Aid
  • Emergency Oxygen Administration – O2
  • Automated External Defibrillation – AED
  • Be the Brand training (within 60 days)
• The following certifications are preferred but not required:
  • YMCA Aquatic Safety Assistant (YASA) or YMCA Lifeguarding
  • YMCA Swim Lessons Instructor (YSL)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to perform all necessary rescue and survival skills and all lifeguard prerequisite skills.
• Able to communicate verbally with good voice projection and clarity.

Physical Aspects of the Job

• Remain alert without lapses in consciousness.
• Assist the lifeguard and other personnel in emergency situations.
• Physically perform all necessary rescue and survival skills.
• Lift 50+ pounds from the floor and 200+ pounds in rescue situations.
• Quickly and safely move to various locations in and around the pool area.
• Communicate verbally with good voice projection and clarity.
• Hear noises and distress signals in an aquatic environment. (Significant background noise may exist in the aquatic environment.)

Benefits

• Free YMCA Membership
• Career Development & Training Opportunities
• Free and Reduced‑Price Child Care
• Excellent Work‑Life Balance

The YMCA of Western North Carolina is committed to equal opportunity in terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, faith, gender, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, except where a bona fide occupational qualification applies.