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R-6850
Aquatics
Full Time
2444 N Elston Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
Midtown is looking for an Aquatics Manager to lead our world-class Aquatics team.
As an integral part of the leadership team, our Aquatics Manager inspires members through movement, community, and personal attention. They encourage active, social, and healthier lives while bringing Midtown's core values to life every day:
Win Together – Foster collaboration across teams, coaches, instructors, and members to achieve shared success.
Kind – Lead with empathy, respect, and genuine care for members and associates.
Passionate About Helping Others – Create life-changing experiences through aquatics programming, coaching, and mentorship.
Better Than Yesterday – Continuously improve programs, processes, member experiences, and team development.
Glass Half Full – Maintain a positive, solution-oriented mindset and inspire others through challenges and opportunities.
Position Summary
The Aquatics Manager is a full-time, salaried leadership role responsible for overseeing all aspects of Midtown's aquatics operation. This position leads a high-performing team that delivers exceptional experiences to more than 400 youth swim participants each month, while also supporting private lessons, adult swim programs, swim team operations, and aquatic safety initiatives.
The Aquatics Manager leads and develops an Assistant Aquatics Manager and Aquatics Coordinator, who help oversee lifeguards, swim instructors, private swim programming, and team operations. This leader ensures operational excellence, member satisfaction, program growth, financial performance, and the ongoing development of aquatics associates.
Key Responsibilities
Member Experience & Program Leadership
Deliver an exceptional member experience across all aquatics offerings.
Engage more members in more programs and with more coaches.
Lead a youth swim program serving more than 400 participants monthly.
Oversee private youth and adult swim lessons, group swim instruction, and competitive swim team programming.
Develop, deliver, measure, and continuously improve aquatics programs to drive participation and retention.
Address member concerns promptly and professionally while building lasting relationships.
Team Leadership & Development
Lead, coach, and develop the Assistant Aquatics Manager, Aquatics Coordinator, swim instructors, coaches, and lifeguards.
Monitor aquatics associates' development and career pathways.
Conduct annual talent reviews and performance evaluations for aquatics associates.
Recruit, onboard, train, and develop top talent.
Create a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Operations & Safety
Develop and maintain aquatics areas to promote an enjoyable, safe, and engaging experience.
Ensure compliance with all local, state, and company safety standards.
Oversee aquatic risk management programs and emergency response procedures.
Maintain staffing plans and schedules to support member demand and operational needs.
Ensure all certifications, trainings, and compliance documentation remain current.
Business & Financial Management
Oversee the annual aquatics budget and departmental financial performance.
Monitor key performance indicators including participation, retention, staffing, and program profitability.
Identify opportunities to grow revenue through programming and member engagement initiatives.
Partner with club leadership to achieve organizational goals and strategic priorities.
Qualifications
Required
Five or more years of aquatics management, talent development, and programming experience.
Proven leadership experience managing teams and developing future leaders.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills.
Strong organizational, operational, and financial management capabilities.
Ability to provide multisensory instruction using auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic learning methods.
Demonstrated ability to build collaborative, high-performing teams.
Certifications
Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO) certification or equivalent.
Current CPR/AED certification.
Current First Aid certification.
Compensation:
Total annual earnings range between $75K - $85K, which includes up to 10 hours of aquatics coaching.
At Midtown, our Aquatics Manager doesn't simply manage a department—they create a community where members, families, and associates can thrive.
This job description is intended to describe the general requirements for the position. It is not a complete statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Other duties not listed here may be assigned as necessary to ensure the proper operations of the department.
MIDTOWN is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
We work at Midtown to inspire people to transform their lives–and we do our job well. Our members stay longer than any other major athletic club chain in North America because we are committed to providing resort-like environments, personal attention, and active communities at every one of our clubs. We believe all three of those pillars start with attracting and growing rock star talent at every level of our organization.
We're committed to creating a positive experience for every candidate who considers a career at Midtown. In the spirit of transparency and mutual respect, we've outlined the interview process, complete with timelines, below. Whether you join our team or pursue another path, we want you to feel respected and appreciated, because, at Midtown, we believe every interaction is an opportunity to live our core values.
Within two weeks, someone from our Talent Team will review your application. If your experience doesn't align with the needs of the role at this time, we will let you know. If we'd like to move you to the next step of the process, we'll reach out to schedule the first interview.
You'll receive an update on your application within 48 hours of each interview. Please note that, depending on the specifics of the role, it may take up to a week to finalize offer decisions.
Members of the Midtown team receive: