Universal Lifeguard Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Description
Position Summary:
Provides Leadership in maintaining safe swimming conditions in the pool(s), on the pool deck(s) and in surrounding areas. During assigned shift, creates a safe and positive atmosphere promoting member safety and engagement, youth development and healthy living in accordance with YMCA policies and procedures. While on duty, this position is responsible for ensuring lifeguards are meeting essential job functions.
Essential Functions:
1. Knows and understands all emergency procedures and responds to emergency situations immediately and appropriately, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
2. Knows, understands, and consistently enforces safety rules, swim testing procedures, policies and guidelines for the pool(s) and aquatics area(s).
3. Performs maintenance of the pool(s) and pool area(s) to assure high standards of safety and cleanliness; including vacuuming, cleaning pool deck, pool tiles and trash-pick-up.
4. Performs pool chemical testing and maintains accurate records, as required by YMCA standards, policies and procedures and/or the state health department code.
5. Performs daily equipment checks and ensures appropriate equipment is available, as needed, while on duty.
6. Checks for pool hazards when arriving and continues to monitor risks to prevent accidents before they occur.
7. Maintains all required certifications, in accordance with YMCA standards, policies and procedures.
8. Attends all staff meetings and trainings, as required by YMCA standards, policies and procedures and/or state health department code requirements. Minimum of four (4) hours in-service per month.
9. Maintains vigilant surveillance of the pool and notices a potential victim and reaches/effectively rescues within 20 seconds.
10. Maintains effective relationships with the members, participants and other staff. Communicates rules and policies while being "firm, fair and tactful" and utilizing "Q-1-2" customer service technique.
11. Assists the Aquatics Director with aquatics audits, drills and other types of skill evaluations.
12. Provides leadership and guidance for other lifeguards while on duty.
YMCA Competencies (Leader):
Mission Advancement: Accepts and demonstrates the Y's values. Demonstrates a desire to serve others and fulfil community needs. Recruits volunteers and builds effective, supportive working relationships with them. Supports fund-raising.
Collaboration: Works effectively with people of different backgrounds, abilities, opinions, and perceptions. Builds rapport and relates well to others. Seeks first to understand the other person's point of view, and remains calm in challenging situations. Listens for understanding and meaning; speaks and writes effectively. Takes initiative to assist in developing others.
Operational Effectiveness: Makes sound judgments, and transfers learning from one situation to another. Embraces new approaches and discovers ideas to create a better member experience. Establishes goals, clarifies tasks, plans work and actively participates in meetings. Follows budgeting policies and procedures, and reports all financial irregularities immediately. Strives to meet or exceed goals and deliver a high-quality program.
Personal Growth: Pursues self-development that enhances job performance. Demonstrates an openness to change and seeks opportunities in the change process. Accurately assesses personal feelings, strengths and limitations and how they impact relationships. Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills required to perform well; uses best practices and demonstrates up-to-date knowledge and skills in technology.
Qualifications:
1. Minimum age of 18 years.
2. Minimum of one year of Lifeguard experience.
3. Demonstrate Lifeguard skills in accordance with YMCA policies and procedures.
4. Current YMCA Lifeguard or Red Cross Lifeguard and obtain YMCA Lifeguard certification within 30 days of hire, or first available class.
5. Current/or must obtain prior to first scheduled shift: HSI certifications for: BLS for (includes AED), First Aid and Emergency Oxygen. Compliance Training: Child Abuse Prevention Training, Information Security and Awareness, Workplace Harassment and Bullying, Universal Precautions, and New Staff Orientation Assessment.
6. Must obtain Lifeguard Supervisor certification prior to first shift.
7. Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community.
A swim assessment will be conducted during the interview process. All candidates must successfully pass the following swim, with no breaks or pauses in between, to be considered.

• 100 yds front crawl Conscious victim rescues (front + rear)
• 100 yds breaststroke Unresponsive victim rescues (front + rear)
• 50 yds front crawl (head up) Submerged Victim Rescue
• 50 yds breaststroke (head up) In Line Stabilization
• 50 yds elementary backstroke, hands on chest
• Tread water 2 minutes (no hands)
• Submerge to max depth and resurface

If a candidate already has a Lifeguard certification, a skills evaluation will be completed on the following skills, in addition the swim assessment, to be considered.

• Conscious victim rescues (front + rear)
• Unresponsive victim rescues (front + rear)
• Submerged Victim Rescue
• In Line Stabilization

Language Skills:
Ability to read, interpret, retain and teach safety rules, maintenance instructions and aquatics education manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of children, parents, members and other staff, as well as one-on-one situations.
Mathematical Skills
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
Reasoning Ability:
Ability to apply common sense, understanding and sound judgment to carry out instructions in written, verbal or diagram form, including assisting with curriculum learning. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Ability to maintain confidentiality. Ability to be sensitive and alert to the needs and feelings and safety of others. Ability to follow YMCA policies and procedures and state health department code requirements.
Physical Demands:
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.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk, and hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to handle and/or feel objects, tools, and/or controls; climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and/or crawl. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms and taste and smell. The employee must frequently move and/or lift up to 60 pounds and perform effective rescues regardless of weight. Possess adequate vision and hearing to safely monitor an aquatic environment and children. Ability to remain alert, continuously scan all areas of the pool with clear vision, and perform strenuous physical tasks necessary for a water rescue. Ability to hear voices, distinguish distress signals, and communicate verbally, including projecting voice across distance in both normal and loud situations.
Hours
Flexible with scheduling and available to work operational hours of the YMCA, which may include days, evenings, and weekends.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Most work will be completed in an outdoor environment.
Travel
Travel is primarily local between assigned centers during the business day, although some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected.
The YMCA of Greater Houston provides Equal Employment Opportunities for employment to all employees and applicants, including disability and protected veteran status.