Associate Executive Director, Swim Operations

The Y in Central Maryland

12d•$70,000 - $85,000

About The Position

The Associate Executive Director of Swim Operations serves, under the direction of the Executive Director of Swim, as a strategic and functional partner to Y Family Centers. The role strengthens swim operations, leadership capacity, program quality, and financial sustainability across the Association by developing consistent systems, standards, tools, training, and best practices across pool operations and safety, swim associates and certifications, and programming. The position assesses center needs and provides targeted support, coaching, and resources to promote sustainable swim operations and effective center-level leadership. The role supports Center Executive Directors and Swim Directors in developing strong swim teams, maintaining safe and reliable pool operations, improving swim programs, and strengthening financial and operational performance. It uses operational, financial, safety, staffing, quality, and participant-experience data to identify trends and guide continuous improvement. The position requires regular travel among Y Family Centers and a flexible schedule based on operational needs.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience in swim operations, pool management, swim programming, or a related environment.
Strong knowledge of pool safety, regulatory compliance, and operational best practices.
Previous leadership experience developing teams, coaching leaders, implementing operational standards, and driving organizational or program performance.
Demonstrated ability to analyze program, staffing, operational, and financial data and translate findings into actionable strategies.
Strong communication, relationship-building, coaching, problem-solving, and change-management skills, including the ability to influence and support leaders across multiple locations.
Ability to travel regularly among Y Family Centers and work a flexible schedule based on operational needs.
Current Certified Pool Operator (CPO) or Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) certification, or ability to obtain one within a designated timeframe.
Ability to obtain LGIT (Lifeguard Instructor Training) and YSLIT (Y Swim Lesson Instructor Training).
Current lifeguard, CPR/AED, First Aid, and other applicable safety certifications, or ability to obtain them within a designated timeframe, as required by the Association.
Satisfactory results from employment screening required to meet the position's minimum requirements; checks may include background, drug, driver’s license record, CPS, and/or criminal background checks.
Compliance with the Code of Conduct with Youth, including required child abuse prevention training and reporting suspected mistreatment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in recreation, business administration, nonprofit management, sports management, or a related field; equivalent education and relevant experience will be considered.
Experience managing budgets, revenue goals, program utilization, staffing models, or other operational performance measures.

Responsibilities

Partner with Center Executive Directors and Swim Directors by providing expertise, coaching, tools, and resources to strengthen swim leadership and operations.
Assess center needs, leadership capacity, staffing, program performance, and growth opportunities, and provide targeted support.
Develop training, onboarding, continuing education, and leadership-development resources for Swim Directors and swim leaders, including support for leadership pipelines, succession planning, and associate retention.
Establish and support Association-wide standards for safe pool operations, including water quality, chemical management, documentation, emergency readiness, cleanliness, and regulatory compliance.
Partner with center leadership and Property teams to identify operational risks, recurring facility concerns, and barriers to safe, consistent pool operations.
Analyze safety, quality, and operational data and implement training, corrective action, and system improvements.
Develop Association-wide strategies and best practices for lifeguard recruitment, onboarding, certification, scheduling, retention, development, and deployment.
Support Swim Directors in developing fully staffed, well-led teams with clear expectations for safety, engagement, cleanliness, and accountability.
Strengthen Head Guard and other swim leadership pipelines and identify systemic staffing barriers related to scheduling, certification, training, compensation, career pathways, and retention.
Establish and improve Association standards for swim lessons, private lessons, swim teams, water safety initiatives, and other swim programming.
Partner with Swim Directors to evaluate enrollment, schedules, capacity, utilization, instructor availability, participant progression, retention, and program growth opportunities.
Develop and scale practices for participant recruitment, conversion, and engagement while ensuring consistent implementation of Association swim curriculum and quality standards.
Use program data and participant/member feedback to identify opportunities to improve program quality and the overall swim experience.
Partner with Center Executive Directors and Swim Directors to strengthen the financial sustainability and performance of swim operations.
Analyze revenue, participation, capacity, utilization, pricing, payroll, staffing efficiency, and other performance indicators to identify opportunities and barriers.
Support centers in developing measurable action plans for revenue growth, expense management, participation, staffing, and program optimization.
Develop consistent performance measures and identify Association-wide trends to inform pricing, staffing models, program structure, and resource allocation strategies.
Identify, document, and scale best practices, operating procedures, tools, templates, and resources for consistent, sustainable swim operations.
Conduct program and operational assessments to identify strengths, gaps, and improvement opportunities.
Facilitate cross-center collaboration and use operational, financial, quality, safety, staffing, and participant-experience data to prioritize improvement efforts.
Partner with the Executive Director of Swim to pilot, evaluate, refine, and scale strategies and operating models.
Foster a positive, inclusive, and motivating environment for associates, members, participants, and families, while communicating effectively with center and Association leadership.
Support Association goals and adhere to operational policies, procedures, budgets, and reporting requirements.
Incorporate YMCA character values, follow the Y in Central Maryland Code of Conduct, and advance the Y's mission throughout the Association and community.
Attend and participate in meetings and Association initiatives, and perform other duties as assigned.
Travel regularly among Y Family Centers and work a flexible schedule based on operational needs.
Complete required screening and comply with the Code of Conduct with Youth, child abuse prevention training, and legal reporting requirements.