Description

ROLE OVERVIEW

As the Director of Operations and Experience Manager, you'll be at the helm of ensuring exceptional client interactions from start to finish and overseeing a dedicated team of DOE’s responsible for the majority of our client interactions. Beyond team leadership, your role extends to ensuring that we are providing top tier customer service at each point of the client cycle and differentiating our business from others in our industry. Your strategic leadership and hands-on approach will be instrumental in following and implementing EOS systems and strategies, participating in leadership, meetings, (L10, quarterly and annual planning).

This role will report to the GM/CEO

 

COMPENSATION

$74,000 per year

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Leading and Managing a team of 5-10 DOE’s 
• Sales cycle execution
• Team performance
• Client issue escalations
• Registration management and optimization
• Goal setting and tracking through KPIs
• Minimum of 2 teaching shifts and 2 front of house shifts, maintaining a teaching score of 4.0 or greater within 6 months of employment and advancing to a Tier 5 within 9 months of employment
• Strong communication skills with both staff and clients
• Availability to work weekday afternoons/evenings and weekends

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Client Lifecycle Execution

• Develop and implement strategies, training and accountability to enhance the client journey from onboarding through retention, ensuring a seamless and positive experience at every stage.
• Oversee client onboarding procedures, ensuring timely and accurate completion of necessary documentation and registrations.
• Monitor client satisfaction metrics and feedback to identify areas for improvement and implement targeted initiatives to address concerns and enhance satisfaction.

Front of House Team Performance

• Manage and lead our department with diligence, guaranteeing that all team members involved are thoroughly trained and performing in line with our standards.
• Offer leadership and contribute significantly to the team's strategy development.
• Oversee the department's project and task management.
• Determine staffing needs in order to maintain KPIs and achieve goals.

 

Client Issue Escalations

• Serve as the point of contact for addressing and filtering client issues and concerns in a timely and professional manner, ensuring swift resolution and client satisfaction.
• Conduct thorough investigations into client issues, gathering relevant information and collaborating with internal teams to identify root causes and develop effective solutions.

Registration Management

• Work with leadership to create and maintain a painless client registration process.
• Oversee the withdrawal process.
• Gather data to recognize trends in client behavior regarding registration, scheduling and billing related issues, bringing to leadership's attention as needed.

Deck & Daily Operations Leadership

• Serve as the on-site operational leader during assigned shift.
• Oversee daily lesson execution across the pool deck, ensuring safety, consistency, and lesson quality.
• Support instructors in real time with transitions, callouts, substitutions, and coverage.
• Act as the first point of escalation for deck-related issues.
• Partner with Directors on training follow-up and quality improvements.

DOE Evaluations

• Participate in the evaluation process for DOE team members.
• Provide input on performance, coaching, and development based on direct observation.

Swim Coach Responsibilities

• Maintain an active teaching role modeling the standard for the team.
• Carry assigned teaching shifts and keep certifications and skills current.
• Demonstrate the lesson quality and curriculum standards expected of the team.

Partnership and Support with Director Roles

• Collaborate with Directors to align on training, quality, and team standards.
• Support Directors with coverage, follow-up, and shared initiatives.
• Communicate consistently to ensure alignment across leadership.

 

Qualifications

This is the list of expectations for the role of Director of Operations and Experience, which is the team this position will be managing! 

 

Little Kickers Swim School

Director of Operations & Experience

Role Expectations & Standards

This document outlines the expectations, standards, and responsibilities for the Director of Operations & Experience at Little Kickers Swim School. It is designed to set a clear foundation for success, define what excellence looks like in this role, and serve as a reference point for growth and performance conversations.

We are a team that believes in hard work, high standards, and genuine care for our families, our team, and the experience we create every day. This role sits at the center of all of it. When you are on shift, you are the leader in the building, and everything in this document reflects what that means.

1. Attitude & Energy

The Director of Operations & Experience sets the tone for the entire facility. Your attitude is contagious, for better or worse, and we expect it to be the best in the building, every single day.

• Bring your best energy every time you walk through the door. Families and team members notice, and it matters.
• Be approachable and positive, whether you’re poolside, in the lobby, or in the back office. A can-do mindset is non-negotiable in this role. 
• Model the attitude you want to see in your team. If you want a positive, energized culture, you have to live it first.
• We are human, and hard days happen, but professionalism means leaving personal challenges at the door and protecting the experience for families and staff.

2. Appearance & Presentation

As a Director, you are a direct reflection of our brand. Your appearance communicates professionalism, pride in your role, and respect for the families we serve.

• Be the best-dressed person in the facility. Wear branded Little Kickers attire when available and ensure it is clean, polished, and in good condition.
• Hair, grooming, and overall presentation should be professional and put-together at all times.
• Your presentation signals to families that they are in good hands and to your team that standards are held.

3. Customer Service Excellence

Our families are the heart of everything we do. The Director of Operations & Experience is responsible for ensuring every interaction from a first visit to a longtime member feels personal, warm, and exceptional.

Knowing Your Families

• Make every effort to greet clients and children by name. This is one of the most powerful ways to build loyalty and trust.
• Learn family stories: The child who just passed their swim test, the parent who drives 30 minutes each way. These details matter and they notice when you remember.
• Introduce yourself to new families personally. A warm welcome from leadership communicates that they’ve made the right choice.

Proactive Service

• Anticipate needs before families have to ask. If something looks off, address it.
• Never let a concern go unacknowledged. If you can’t solve it immediately, let the family know it’s on your radar and follow up to close the loop.

Difficult Situations

• Handle complaints with calm, empathy, and ownership, even when the issue isn’t your fault.
• Escalate appropriately when needed, but never leave a family feeling dismissed or unheard.
• If you make a commitment to a family, honor it. Your word is the brand’s word.

4. Facility & Operations Ownership

You are the steward of this facility. A well-maintained, organized, and welcoming space communicates professionalism and care, and it doesn’t happen by accident. If something is not right, it is your responsibility to address it.

Physical Space

• Always be looking for ways to make the facility look better. Clean, organized, and welcoming at all times.
• If you see something out of place, fix it or delegate it immediately. Do not walk past a problem.
• The lobby, pool deck, restrooms, and common areas should meet a high standard at all times. Take pride in this space as if it were your own.
• Delegate pool work priority, and finish any leftover tasks at the end of your shift.

Operational Awareness

• Understand the day’s schedule, staffing, and any known challenges before your shift begins.
• Identify gaps in coverage, equipment issues, or supply needs proactively not reactively.
• Maintain accurate records, logs, and reporting as required, and ensure all safety protocols are followed consistently.

Work Ethic

• Hard work is one of our most deeply held values, and we expect it to show up visibly every shift.
• There is always something to be done. If you have downtime, use it to improve the space, support a teammate, prep for what’s ahead, or find the problem no one else has noticed yet.
• Never be the person standing still while others are working. Lead from the front, always.
• Cell phone use during working hours should be limited to work-related tasks only. You are setting the standard the entire team watches.

5. Day & Shift Leadership

This role does not carry formal supervisory authority over direct reports, but make no mistake, when you are on shift, you are the leader in the building. You own the day. Every team member, every family interaction. Every operational detail that happens on your watch is your responsibility.

This kind of leadership is earned. It requires presence, consistency, and the respect of the people around you. Our expectation is that the team looks to you first, and that you’ve given them every reason to.

Owning the Shift

• Arrive prepared. Know the schedule, the staffing, any known challenges, and what a successful day looks like before it begins.
• Be visible and engaged throughout the entire shift. Leadership that disappears into the back office doesn’t count.
• When something goes wrong, be the first responder. Stay calm, move fast, and solve it.
• End every shift better than you found it. That means the space, the team’s energy, and any open issues.

Earning the Room

• You lead through your actions, not your title. Work harder than anyone else on the floor and the team will follow without being asked.
• Be the standard. If you want the team to be on time, present, and energized, they need to see it in you first.
• Address issues in the moment, respectfully and directly. Letting things slide on your shift signals that standards are optional.
• Build trust with the team by being fair, consistent, and genuinely invested in their success.

Culture & Environment

• Protect the culture on every shift. Address negativity, disengagement, or off-brand behavior quickly and with care.
• Recognize great work in real time. A well-timed acknowledgment from the leader on the floor means more than a note in a review.
• Foster an environment where team members are proud to be here and where families feel it the moment they walk in.
• Putting on a pot of coffee for instructors or tidying up the breakroom in the morning.

6. Communication Standards

Clear, professional, and timely communication is essential in this role. With families, team members, and leadership alike.

Internal Communication

• Respond to messages from leadership and team members promptly. Same day is the standard; within a few hours when urgent.
• Be clear and direct. Communicate expectations, changes, and updates without ambiguity.
• Bring solutions, not just problems. When you surface an issue, come up with at least one possible path forward.
• Document important decisions, incidents, and follow-ups. A verbal conversation isn’t always enough.

Family-Facing Communication

• Written communication to families: Emails, texts, and signage should be warm, professional, and free of errors.
• Verbal communication should be confident and always reflect our brand values.

Conflict & Difficult Conversations

• Approach difficult conversations with confidence and compassion. Avoidance creates bigger problems.
• Never speak negatively about team members, leadership, or company decisions to families or staff.
• When you personally disagree with a decision, bring it to leadership privately and represent it with integrity in the building.

7. Performance & Accountability

We are committed to your success in this role. That means being clear about expectations upfront, providing regular feedback, and celebrating growth. It also means holding ourselves and each other to a high standard.

What Success Looks Like

• Families consistently report exceptional experiences.
• Shifts run smoothly from start to finish because you anticipated what was needed and the team was set up to deliver.
• The facility looks its best and operates safely at all times.
• Problems are handled before they escalate. When they do escalate, they are met with calm, speed, and ownership.
• The team respects you because of how you show up, not because of your title.

Reviews & Growth

• Reviews are a two-way conversation; we want to hear from you as much as we want to share feedback.
• Compensation and role growth are directly tied to your impact. There is genuine room to grow within this organization for those who demonstrate leadership, consistency, and excellence.

Our Commitment to You

• We will be clear, fair, and transparent with feedback.
• We will provide the support, tools, and training you need to succeed.
• We will recognize your contributions and invest in your growth.
• We will treat you with the same level of respect and care we ask you to extend to our families and team.

A Note from Leadership

We have built this organization on the belief that world-class swim instruction starts with world-class people. You are not just an employee, you are the leader on the floor. When you walk in, the day takes its cue from you.

We value hard work above almost everything else, because hard work is honest. It shows up. It doesn’t make excuses. It finds a way. We will always recognize and reward people who bring that energy, and we will always invest in those who are genuinely committed to growing here.

We do not expect perfection. We expect effort, presence, and heart every single day. If you bring those things, we will build something great together.