Are you looking for a great gig where the work is actually fun? Do you want to work somewhere you can get real job experience and make a difference? Check out Goldfish Swim School! We’re a rapidly growing, award winning franchise that is not your typical company!
We change lives. We help children reach their goals. We wear flip flops. We work in a 90-degree pool. We love our employees and reward hard work with shout awards, gift cards and fun social events! We offer paid training and flexible shifts that are perfect for students or folks who want to grab extra hours without working late nights. Even better? Due to the rapid growth of our school, advancement opportunities exist for the right candidate.
The Pool Operations Manager is a key leadership role focused on the quality of our swim lessons, the development of our instructors, and the overall safety and experience on the pool deck. This person helps coach, train, evaluate, and support the team members who teach lessons and supervise the pool area.
This is a hands-on leadership role. The right person is comfortable giving feedback, jumping in to teach or supervise when needed, building relationships with team members and families, and helping create a strong culture of accountability, safety, and growth.
Key Responsibilities
Lead and Support the Swim Lesson Team
- Provide leadership, coaching, discipline, and constructive feedback to swim instructors and pool deck supervisors.
- Help ensure lessons are being taught safely, consistently, and according to the Goldfish Swim School curriculum.
- Work directly with instructors in and around the pool to improve their teaching skills, class management, and confidence.
- Support new employees by building relationships, helping them understand expectations, and making sure they feel connected to the team.
Maintain High Lesson Quality
- Observe lessons regularly and provide clear, helpful feedback to improve instruction.
- Complete written performance reviews for aquatic staff and pool deck supervisors.
- Hold instructors and deck supervisors to a high standard for safety, professionalism, curriculum delivery, and customer experience.
- Spend at least one shift per week in the water to observe and support lesson quality firsthand.
Coach and Develop Deck Supervisors
- Partner closely with deck supervisors, who are responsible for overseeing lessons during each shift.
- Provide advice, guidance, and support to deck supervisors as they lead instructors and manage the pool deck.
- Help deck supervisors work with students at different levels of the program, including children progressing through intermediate and advanced swim skills.
- Lead monthly meetings with deck supervisors and management to review staff performance, identify trends, and plan future trainings.
Support Families and Customer Experience
- Speak with parents and guardians about student progress, lesson quality, and next steps in their child’s swim journey.
- Act as a Goldfish Swim School ambassador by creating a positive, professional, and helpful experience for families.
- Help ensure parents feel confident that their child is safe, supported, and making progress.
Assist with Daily Pool Operations
- Step in as a swim instructor, deck supervisor, or deck teacher when needed.
- Help with lesson supplies, ribbons, student celebrations, and other pool deck responsibilities.
- Support the team during busy shifts to make sure lessons run smoothly and safely.
- Assist with one W.A.T.E.R. Safety presentation each month, preferably outside the school, to help educate the community about water safety.
Qualifications
- Current Ellis Lifeguarding Certification, or willingness/ability to obtain certification if applicable.
- Strong understanding of swim lesson instruction, water safety, and child development.
- Ability to lead, coach, and hold others accountable.
- Comfortable giving direct, constructive feedback.
- Strong communication skills with both employees and parents.
- Ability to stay calm, professional, and solution-focused in a busy environment.
- Passion for helping children become safer and more confident in the water.
- Prior swim instruction, lifeguarding, aquatics leadership, or coaching experience preferred.
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for someone who is not just a strong swim instructor, but a strong leader. The ideal Pool Operations Manager cares deeply about quality, safety, team development, and the experience families have at Goldfish.
This person should be able to lead by example, coach with kindness and accountability, and help build a team that takes pride in delivering excellent swim lessons every day.
The Pool Operations Manager is responsible for making sure our swim lessons are safe, high-quality, and consistent. They train and coach instructors, support supervisors, communicate with families, and help lead the team on the pool deck. This is a leadership role for someone who loves aquatics, enjoys developing people, and wants to make a meaningful impact on children and families.
Work Environment: While performing this job, the employee is regularly exposed to heat and humidity. Noise level is usually moderate.
Tropical Vibes & Impacting Lives!
You feel it the moment you walk in. There’s more than vibrant colors, a tropical theme and happy children. There’s something different, something extraordinary. Something truly GOLDEN. It’s passion. Not just a passion for kids or a passion for swimming…it’s a special passion for changing – even saving – lives, by being a part of kids learning to swim.
When you work at Goldfish, you're not just an employee. You're a part of something bigger. You're making an impact; a splash in the lives of the children in your community. You're an integral part of a team, working together to move forward a mission. You’re also making waves in your future, learning life lessons in and out of the pool through mentorship, leadership and passion. At Goldfish, it’s more than a job - it’s an endless pool of possibilities, opportunities and life-changing moments!
Making Waves with Passion, Purpose & Core Values!
At Goldfish, our core values are at the heart of everything we do, and behind every decision that we make. To us, these values are more than just words - they're embraced with purpose in our everyday lives, and what allows us to make a splash in our community, and in the lives of our members and our team!
We go above and beyond with every detail to create a GOLDEN Experience!
We believe in nurturing a culture that provides WOW! Customer Service
We do the right things, make the right decisions and treat people with Integrity • Compassion • Trust
We meet and exceed expectations so you see Extraordinary Results
We make a big deal about life’s accomplishments by remembering to Celebrate!
