Head Lifeguard

Wheat Ridge was founded during the 1859 Gold Rush as a rest stop for miners and later named for its golden wheat fields. As unsuccessful miners turned to farming the area thrived with orchards vegetable fields and later greenhouses earning the title Carnation City. Incorporated in 1969 Wheat Ridge now offers a central location with easy access to Denver and the Rocky Mountains. It operates as a home-rule city with a council-manager government where the elected council sets policy and the manager oversees daily operations and budgeting.

CORE VALUES: The City of Wheat Ridge is committed to excellence and ACTION!:

• Accountability: Employees take responsibility for their actions decisions and recommendations and are accountable to each other and the community
• Change: Adapts to changing organizational needs conditions and work responsibilities.
• Teamwork: Employees value teamwork as a collaborative effort with each person contributing unique skills knowledge and training to achieve common goals.
• Integrity: Employees uphold the highest ethical standards recognize the importance of public and customer trust and adhere to the values of the organization.
• Opportunity: Employees are empowered to grow professionally develop best practices and seek challenges to advance the City.
• NOW!: Employees are proactive timely and efficient in responding to the needs of the organization and the community NOW!

GENERAL PURPOSE:Responsible for the on-site supervision of the aquatic facility pool maintenance staff relations public contact shift reports lifeguard training and auditing. May work both at an indoor and outdoor pool locations.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Primarily responsible for on-deck supervision of the aquatic facilities assigned staff and guests.
• Oversee assigned shifts to include assigning work tasks for Lifeguards I & II and monitoring progress coach and train team members on performance of work life saving techniques and water safety principles.
• Ensure city policies pool rules and regulations regarding the operation of the pool are adhered to and enforced by the team members.
• Ensure the safety and wellbeing of the public.
• Complete and maintain a variety of reports forms files and other records as required in an accurate and timely manner i.e. daily records of water chemistry attendance maintenance cleaning lifeguard audits and training incident reports rescue reports shift reports and employee coaching forms.
• Operate and maintain the pool and equipment; conduct daily walk-through of facility to ensure appropriate appearance; document needed repairs and maintenance; maintain accurate inventory of first aid chemical operating and program supplies.
• Perform as a lifeguard or swim instructor as assigned.
• When scheduled at the outdoor pool the Head Lifeguard will complete all cash reports and deposits from the concession stand and uphold cash handling requirements. The Head Lifeguard works in absence of Specialists Coordinators and Supervisors and must be available to work flexible hours including early mornings evenings and weekends. The Head Lifeguard will have a typically assigned regular schedule with occasional flexibility needed to support operations.
• Other duties assigned as appropriate by the position.

Knowledge

• Pool mechanics chemistry and routine maintenance.
• Swim instruction and methods for swim instruction.
• Lifeguarding methods and techniques aquatic safety and risk management principles and practices of supervision and training and evaluation.

Skills

• Preparing written reports and projects.
• Skilled in operation of equipment necessary to perform the functions of the job.

Abilities

• Analyze mechanical pool problems and make minor repairs perform routine mechanical and chemical pool maintenance and identify and correct facility safety hazards.
• Supervise train and evaluate subordinates and work under minimal supervision.
• Communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with superiors subordinates and guests.
• Deal tactfully with the public. Use good judgment and make sound decisions in stressful or emergency situations.
• Accurately complete a variety of forms logs and reports while working in a highly visible work environment.
• Sufficient strength to make rescues and lift 50 lbs able to carry a rescue tube on a daily basis up to 140 minutes at a time; able to perform rescue and lifeguard skills based upon StarGuard ELITE criteria on a daily basis

Minimum of two (2) years or seasons of experience in aquatics or any equivalent combination of training and experience that provides evidence that the applicant possesses the required knowledge skills and abilities to preform the job. High School Diploma or equivalent and two (2) years college is preferred. Current StarGuard ELITE Lifeguard certification or equivalent required at the time of application. Selected candidates will be provided StarGuard ELITE Lifeguard Training at no cost. Aquatics Facility Operator (AFO) or Certified Pool Operator (CPO) StarGuard ELITE Supervisor and Starfish Aquatics Institute Swim Instructor required within 12 months of hire.

HOURS OF WORK LOCATION AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:This is a full-time position but shifts will vary based on staffing needs within 5 different set schedules.

Work is primarily performed in a hot humid environment and/or hot outdoor environment with constant exposure to sun in the be required to work in chemically treated have hearing and sight sufficient to survey pool area and recognize distressed swimmers dangerous situations and requires strength and stamina necessary to rescue distressed swimmers. Work involves problem solving with an emphasis on pool chemistry and mechanical operations daily customer and employee contact instruction and lifeguard duties. Work requires pulling pushing reaching use of fingers and hands walking standing sitting bending/stooping twisting and kneeling; occasionally requires lifting more than 50 lbs. carrying pushing and pulling and work with hazardous materials. Work requires ability to handle multiple concurrent tasks with interruptions and involves stress in emergency/non-emergency situations; entails working alone and working closely with others; involves flexible hours.

The ability to properly operate or use the following equipment is necessary for this position: pumps boilers filters and related valve systems; chemical feed and control systems; pool water testing equipment and kits; pool maintenance equipment including manual and automatic vacuum systems hydro washers and small tools; general pool deck equipment; telephone cash registers computer terminal.

The City of Wheat Ridge is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and inclusivity and do not discriminate based on race religion color national origin sex sexual orientation age veteran status disability status marital status or any other applicable characteristics protected by law unless related to a bona fide occupational qualification. The City of Wheat Ridge will consider reasonable accommodations for employment to qualified applicants upon request to the Human Resources Office.

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications skills efforts duties responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.