The Aquatics Director role supports delivering the Water Babies purpose to ‘give children the best start in life’. The role is responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of the Water Babies Aquatics Programme through the Aquatics workforce (Teachers, Assessors & Dippers) to create a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn an essential life skill.
As well as teaching babies, toddlers and children water confidence, safety and aquatic skills following the Water Babies’ specific course structure.
Responsibilities:
- Teacher Management
- Creating effective and timely teacher rotas & schedules
- Ensuring sickness & absence cover for the business through the establishment & maintenance of a teacher cover rota
- Completing the teacher performance management process
- Ensuring all teachers are mentored on a quarterly basis
- Addressing any employment issues that arise from the Teachers.
- Timely compilation of teacher timesheets to ensure that payroll can be processed efficiently and accurately
- Organising and running teacher suppers and local CPD
- Monitoring of teacher qualifications, e.g., lifesaving
- Monitoring teacher retention
- Allocation & management of Dippers
Teacher Recruitment & Training
- Coordinating and monitoring adverts for new teacher roles on a variety of platforms
- Reviewing job applications, shortlisting & interviewing candidates
- Conducting 'wet interviews' with teachers and assisting the Franchisee/Territory Manager in making the decisions on the candidate(s) to successfully recruit
- Be responsible for the process of booking new teachers onto Teacher Training Course
- Take ownership of providing the relevant documents for trainee teachers to sign and ensuring they fully understand the terms
- Create mentored / assessed lesson planners for new trainees, within the Water Babies Mentor guidelines
- Arranging the shadowing and filming (and submission) of shadowed lessons and skills by the trainee teacher ahead of attending the Teacher Training Course
- Be responsible for the allocation of mentors for trainee teachers, including yourself
- Supporting teachers through the training process, including checking in with them during the Teacher Training Course
- Supporting and ensuring timely completion of online training & mentored / assessed lessons
- Liaising with assessors / WB Tutors – providing relevant feedback to the trainee teacher
- Arranging shadowing for the new teacher, ahead of taking over classes from existing teacher at the new teacher’s pool/s
Teaching (Minimum 2 hours per week)
- Lead customers and their children in weekly swimming classes, delivering the highest quality of tuition in line with the Water Babies’ standards
- Provide teaching cover for other classes throughout the territory when required
- Utilie your Aquatics and customer knowledge to drive business improvement, identifying customer needs to ensure effective support of children’s learning
- Communicate professionally about venues, partners and other non-class related challenges to maintain high expectations and standards
- Provide weekly feedback on each class (verbal and written)
- Provide feedback which is appropriate for the age and learning stage of children in a nurturing, constructive manner to improve skills and safety
- Contribute to the orientation of new classes when required, providing excellent customer service
- Clean, sterilise and maintain all equipment in accordance with current guidance
- Maintain and improve your own teaching knowledge and professional standards, proactively identifying and attending training, required professional development (CPDs) and learning opportunities
- Diligently complete all required teaching documentation and administrative procedures
Pool Relationships
- Manage relationships with pool operators (to be jointly managed with the Franchisee/ Territory Manager and relevant teacher(s) for the particular pool)
- Support the sourcing of new pools & water time
- Conduct annual (or more if required) Risk Assessments on pools to maintain the PSOP
Health & Safety
- Work closely with the Franchisee/Territory Manager to ensure the business operates in line with the current legal requirements, industry best practice and Water Babies Health and Safety Quality Management System at all times.
- Report any incidents, accidents or near misses in line with Water Babies policies and procedures.
- Promote a positive Health and Safety Culture throughout the business.
Other Roles
- Take part in relevant working groups as and when required, including regional Aquatics meetings etc.
- Attend/coordinate attendance at local marketing / community events
- Provide absence cover for the Franchisee/Territory Manager when required
- Create, implement and review an on-call rota, to ensure all classes are covered and teachers have support via phone at the weekends
Customer Services
Supporting the customer service team when required to:
- Develop positive, trusting relationships with customers
- Use internal systems including ADA effectively
- Coordinate and pro-actively manage the classes schedule across the business
General
- To complete all territory administration tasks and ensure systems and records are accurately maintained.
- To work closely with the Franchisee/Territory Manager and provide cover for them as required (sickness/holiday cover etc)
- To provide back up and support to the whole team
- Arrange, attend and coordinate photo shoots as required
- Assist the administration team with meet and greets for new classes
- To complete any other duties as may be deemed appropriate
- Undertake any training deemed necessary by the company to upskill, maintain qualifications and remain current
Person Specification
Essential/Mandatory Requirements
- Passion for Water Babies and enthusiasm for children to learn a life skill
- Driven, passionate, self-reliant, motivated and resilient to thrive in this role
- Pool Plant Qualification e.g. Certified Pool Operator
- Excellent communication skills with both adults and children, individually and in groups. Able to communicate in a respectful and empathetic manner, using various strategies
- Able to meet the physical demands of the role
- Able to take charge of situations and manage conflict and challenges
- Able to problem solve and make decisions quickly and effectively
- Adaptable to a fast paced and changing environment
- Flexibility and ability to travel to all our offices and lesson venues with required equipment
- Successful background check on appointment
- Able to drive and hold a full licence
- Shallow water lifeguard certification
Desirable/Optional Requirements
- Previous management experience within the leisure sector
- Experience of Managing Aquatics programmes and workforces
- H&S qualification
- Sense of humour and able to relate to children’s sense of fun
- Knowledge of Water Babies programme and children’s achievements within it
- Reliable, punctual and flexible in support of the team.
- Skills and experience of planning learning opportunities for children or adults
- Knowledge and qualifications in swimming teaching
The above duties are not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the organisation and the overall business objectives of the organisation. Water Babies will notify you in the event your job specification is subject to change.
Pay: $45,000.00 - $48,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
Work Location: In person
