Wellness 252021 - Group Exercise Instructor (Certified)

YMCA of Greater Cleveland; North Royalton (OH); On-site; USD 21,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

YMCA of Greater Cleveland is seeking a Group Exercise Instructor (Certified) at North Royalton YMCA to design and teach engaging, safe group fitness classes.

Responsibilities include planning class routines, selecting music, and ensuring equipment safety while maintaining strong participant engagement and attendance tracking.

Qualifications

• CPR, Basic Life Support or Professional Rescuer as required within 30 days of hire.
• National NCCA-accredited Group Exercise Instructor certification, or YMCA Group Exercise Instructor certification.
• Must maintain all required certifications.

Responsibilities

• Design and teach safe, high-quality exercise classes.
• Select appropriate music and tempo for class format and population.
• Ensure equipment is maintained, cleaned, and used properly.
• Plan class choreography and vary routines.
• Record attendance and manage class logistics.
• Lead classes on time and be prepared 5 minutes prior.
• Travel to multiple branches or lead virtual classes if needed.

Skills

CPR certification

Group Exercise Instructor

First Aid

Emergency Oxygen Admin

Safety training

Communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associates degree preferred

Job description

Wellness 252021 - Group Exercise Instructor (Certified)

North Royalton YMCA, 11409 State Rd, North Royalton, Ohio, United States of America

Job Description

Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 4:00 AM

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Group Exercise Instructor is responsible for the design and instruction of safe, high-quality, effective, challenging, and fun group exercise classes as determined by the class format and description.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Design and teach effective, safe and enjoyable exercise classes using proper exercise progressions and cueing techniques, according to guidelines.
• Select appropriate music and tempo suitable for the class format and population served
• Oversees the proper use, maintenance, and cleaning of equipment and supplies.
• Attends all mandatory staff meetings.
• Design classes that adhere to the designated format and are appropriate for the participants’ abilities. Teach classes with energy and enthusiasm.
• Accurately demonstrate skills being taught in class, explain them clearly, and work at skill level and intensity level appropriate for the particular class. Instructors must emphasize the members’ workouts, not their own.
• Frequently and consistently demonstrate multiple movement modifications, and repeatedly encourage members to modify movements and work at their own pace. Monitor participants’ intensity, technique, proper form, and hydration throughout the class.
• Consistently utilize clear and easy-to-follow verbal and physical cues in advance of a movement change.
• Plan in advance the specific composition/choreography of each class, consistently changing music and routines.
• Ensure that the class attendance of each member is accurately recorded in the designated manner.
• Begin and end class on time. Be available in the classroom with proper music and all equipment set up and ready no fewer than 5 minutes before class is to begin. Leave program area in a safe "closed-down" manner with all equipment and materials properly cleaned and neatly returned to their proper places.
• Maintain positive rapport with participants (and parents of participants, if applicable).
• Encourage member involvement in YMCA programs, events and Annual Campaign. Reads announcements to class when requested.
• Learn participants’ names, engage them in conversation, and conduct classes in such a way as to encourage members to interact with and get to know each other.
• Find a certified and competent substitute instructor if unable to teach assigned class. Notify supervisor of substitute coverage.
• May be required to travel to multiple branches and offsite locations to lead classes.
• May be required to lead classes in a live or recorded virtual environment.
• Responsible for following the child abuse and neglect reporting process including completion of Suspected Child Abuse/Neglect reporting form, calling children protective services (696-Kids) and notifying immediate Supervisor, Branch Executive, Risk Management and Human Resources Departments. All employees of the YMCA of Greater Cleveland are mandated reporters for any signs or suspicion of child abuse and neglect.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• High school diploma or GED required; Associates degree preferred.

Certification(s)& Requirements:

• Certification in CPR at the level of Basic Life Support or Professional Rescuer, Basic First Aid, and Emergency Oxygen Administration and associated-determined safety training required within 30 days of hire.
• Current national NCCA-accredited Group Exercise Instructor certification, or YMCA Group Exercise Instructor certification.
  • If not currently certified, must obtain within 90 days of hire.
  • If applicable, current certification/proof of training in the specialty class format to be taught (e.g., Zumba, yoga, Tai Chi, SilverSneakers, LiveSTRONG at the YMCA, Real You, aquatic, etc.)
    • If not currently certified or trained, must obtain certification or training within 90 days of hire. Instructor must be actively supervised in class by wellness leadership or designee until requirement is fulfilled.
• Must Maintain all required certifications.

Technical Skills and Knowledge:

• Demonstrate commitment to the mission, cause of the YMCA, and uphold its values and ethics.
• Ability to work effectively work with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions and perceptions
• Willingness and ability to be a mandated reporter for any signs or suspicion of child abuse and neglect. All employees are required to follow the child abuse and neglectreporting process: completion of Suspected Child Abuse/Neglect reporting form, calling children protective services (696-Kids) and notifying your immediate supervisor,branch executive, risk management and human resources department (s).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Definition: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The ability to perform frequent amounts of sitting, standing, swimming, walking, reaching, stooping, kneeling, bending and or instructing others for the duration of their shift
• Ability to lift/move up to 50 lbs
• The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading.
• Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound.
• Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to noisy
• May be required to work outside and on occasion may encounter inclement weather
• Maintain a clean and orderly work environment
• Performs work in an office setting with moderate levels of noise, sitting for long periods of time, repetitive motion using computers and phones, with exposure to fluorescent lighting

DISCLAMIMER:

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.

North Royalton YMCA, 11409 State Rd, North Royalton, Ohio, United States of America