lifeguard

aquatics manager

resort manager

cleaner

swim instructor

Jeff Ellis Management LLC

Working at Jeff Ellis Management (JEM) is one of those experiences that genuinely sets you apart in the aquatics industry.

From day one, there’s a clear emphasis on professionalism, accountability, and safety—not just as buzzwords, but as actual expectations built into everything you do. The training is thorough, structured, and designed to make you confident in real-world situations, not just pass a test. You’re not just “another lifeguard” or staff member—you’re part of a team that takes its responsibility seriously.

What stands out most is the support from leadership. Good performance gets recognized, and if you’re willing to step up, there are real opportunities to grow into leadership roles. Managers are involved, present, and expect high standards—but they also back you up and give you the tools to succeed.

The culture is fast-paced and high-expectation, which isn’t for everyone—but if you want to be challenged and actually develop professionally, it’s a strong environment. You learn discipline, time management, and how to handle pressure while staying composed—skills that carry far beyond aquatics.

Another big plus is the focus on guest experience and team accountability. It’s not just about watching water—it’s about creating a safe, welcoming environment while maintaining operational excellence.

Overall, Jeff Ellis Management is a great place to work if you:

Want to build real skills, not just clock hours
Take safety and professionalism seriously
Are looking for growth and leadership opportunities
Thrive in a structured, high-standard environment

It’s not the easiest job—but that’s exactly why it’s valuable.

*Typical day would involve ensuring we have appropriate staff to safely operate the resorts feature pools, respond to all first aid and guard whistles/calls, ensure the guards are maintaining their standard of protection and are continuously vigilant.
*I learned to think on my feet, how to hand a different variety of people, their needs, and what they like. I learned to be a problem solver.
*Management was difficult because we had to follow safety and yet comply with Disney's standards, but that was the best challenge of the job. Very fun and the people are very easy to work with and get along with. Definitely an OHANA.
*The hardest part of the job was the staffing. We employed young first time job holders that didn't take the job seriously so the toughest part was making sure we had sufficient staff on a daily but not burn out our reliable guards. 
*The most enjoyable part was the fact that we did employee first time job holders so we as a company were able to set the standards for their future jobs. We had an opportunity to teach the value of a hards day work and what comes of effort. In addition, seeing the small things that we do make the biggest difference whether it be in the employee's eyes or the eyes of the guest.

This job is perfect for kids in high school or as a first job but if you’re an adult trying to make decent money I wouldn’t suggest working here at all. There’s little advancement opportunities and the starting wage is very low. Also the only footwear they allow us to wear is not suitable for the amount of walking we do everyday. Expect to get nasty blisters and extremely sore feet. Breaks are also way too short. You get a 10 minute break every 4 hours and you only get a 30 minute lunch break if you work  7+hours . Also the lifeguard certification you receive is a joke, it’s not accepted at any other lifeguarding jobs except ones ran by Jeff Ellis, you aren’t actually CPR certified and they pass pretty much everyone as long as you show up for class even if you  barely pass the swim test. If you want to be a  lifeguard I would highly suggest getting a Red Cross certification and working somewhere else that pays more. This company really focuses on hiring as much people as possible over hiring quality lifeguards. I’m surprised there have been no drownings so far.

This could honestly be a super fun and productive job but management sucks, BIG TIME. They have no sense of professionalism or respect for their lifeguards. Majority of the lifeguards are either still in high school or fresh out of high school so managers and supervisors often take advantage of them and threaten their position. And when I say they are unprofessional, I mean it literally. Before each shift, there's a thing called breakout and basically youʻre waiting for everyone who works to arrive and then you go over the flow of the day. Anyway, while waiting, managers and supervisors will sometimes arrive early. Iʻve been to many where the supervisors would gossip with the staff about other lifeguards. Also, there were many situation where the supervisors would talk openly about their differences with their managers. I don't anyone should know what goes on in management. But that's just my experience. Many will stay with the company because hours are flexible, but when you have self worth, youʻre out as fast as you got in,

Typical day included the commute to the facility assigned to, which was never too far from home.
Cleaning up the area I was stationed at, and around the park/facility.
Rotating into the area and scanning the zone I needed to protect after opening the facility was most of what I did.
Every now and then I had to jump into the water for either a Visual Awareness Test (VAT) or a child going too deep and panicking.
I learned after a while what to expect and how to analyze certain situations. I also was taught how to tend to a person with injuries (first aid).
Management was very friendly, and they'd shown me the ropes and let me go once I passed their tests and expectations. My co-workers, supervisors, and managers were all my friends as well.
The hardest part is really staying awake and hydrated, which isn't  bad at all.
I enjoyed making new friends and plan on going back to that family as a supervisor myself.

I worked as a lifeguard for 3 years and recently our pool switched from using Starguard to now using JEM. Many of our staff quit after they found out we were switching to JEM because of the rumors of how awful the company was. I wasn’t going to let the rumors get the best of me and decided to stay with the pool and switch to this new company. We hadn’t had any inciendents (unconscious drownings) in the past 3 years I had worked there and within the first month of switching over to JEM we had a 6 year old boy drowned. Lifeguards did not receive nearly enough training. Pool was always understaffed and caused many patrons to concern about their own safety. All this company is worried about is making profit. They are a large coorperation and do not care about the employees or the safety of the community.

My day involved me going to the beach, setting up the equipment then going to my starting viewpoint. Every 5 minutes we are forced to call it on the radio and stand up to show the management who might be auditing us that we are paying attention because they believe us incapable of maintaining focus without standing every 5 minutes. Rather than allowing us to wear what's comfortable to swim in, we were forced to wear the company uniform, meaning if there is a rescue I have to first take off my shirt if I don't want that dragging when I go in. I know it doesn't sound bad describing it, but the management had no respect for it's employees and treated us like children, and paid us as little as they possibly could compared to their other facilities.

The turn over rate at Jeff Ellis Management is incredibly high, and it shows in the work culture. As a lifeguard and supervisor this job is great, but once you get up to a management position no one lasts. There is no employee loyalty here, and asking for help is not tolerated by upper management. It is a sad company because it started out with the main purpose of saving lives, and everyone who works there will stay for that purpose, but they soon realize that its all about money and everyone is expendable. I dedicated many years to this job and loved it until I realized that the people who I worked for have a soulless out look on their employees and their business. They will pay you well until you become expendable, and everyone is expendable here.

Work starts with a overview based on protocol and requirements by mandatory assessment. The help of management included the friendly zone to make mistakes and definitely solve a solution to determine the most effective outcome with outstanding schedule. The most difficult time of day was the 24/7, 10/20 scanning. Even if customers were in attendance but outside of the water lifeguards always had to make sure of a life threatening cleared "safe zone". At the end of the day there'd be a good talk between all and a detailed review of what we could get better on while what we lacked.

I Loved the Job

Finding a job that brings satisfaction and happiness can be a daunting task. Countless individuals strive to attain a position where they love what they do and wake up every morning with excitement and enthusiasm. Fortunately, I was one of the few fortunate ones who found such a job - a job that I truly loved.

From a young age, I was always taught to follow my passions and seek a career that aligned with my interests and skills. I carried this advice with me throughout my educational journey and later in my job search. It wasn't until a few years ago that I finally stumbled upon the perfect fit – a position that not only matched my skills but also filled my heart with joy.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Lifeguard 24 salaries reported	$16.14 per hour
Aquatics manager 5 salaries reported	$76,600 per year
Resort manager 2 salaries reported	$61,250 per year
Cleaner 8 salaries reported	$18.28 per hour
Swim instructor 4 salaries reported	$12.16 per hour

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