Lifeguard

Salary: $17.63 - $22.70 Hourly
Location : Portsmouth, VA
Job Type: Part-Time Regular
Job Number: FY2025-01270
Department: Parks and Recreation
Opening Date: 02/12/2026
Closing Date: Continuous


General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

Under general supervision, this position is responsible for providing a safe, aquatic environment at various pool locations. Reports to the Lead Lifeguard or Recreation Supervisor.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Conducts patron surveillance at various pool locations; administers CPR/First Aid, utilizes Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and performs water rescues as needed; assists in managing facility operations, to include, testing of pool chemistry, cleaning duties, facility maintenance and program registration; assists with the implementation of daily aquatic programs, activities and events.
Ensures the safety of facility patrons; conducts safety inspections of aquatic areas; enforces pool safety standards and facility operational rules for all individuals utilizing the facilities; and promotes water safety.
Completes required reports and documentation such as daily logs, and accident or incident reports; conducts in-service training for Lifeguards and documents results; interacts with the public and responds to inquiries; and provides assistance as needed to departmental staff and others outside the unit with special projects, events and/or performances; performs maintenance at swimming pools.
Performs other related work as required. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Knowledge of Job: General knowledge of patron and aquatics facility safety principles and practices, including knowledge of the application of life saving and first aid techniques. General knowledge of principles and processes for providing quality customer service. General knowledge of occupational hazards, safety precautions, and safety regulations related to recreational activities and other work-related precautions.


Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercise immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interacts with all departments, co-workers and the general public.
Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Essential Job Functions."
Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and for meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, policies, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.


Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.
Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for the completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.
Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.
Cooperation : Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Questions such instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified i.e., poor communications, variance with policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the department.
Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefits. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develop and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees and managers in other departments, to project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons to maintain good will within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, supervisors, superintendents, professionals and the public.

Coordination of Work : Plans and organize daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplications of efforts. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establishes a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings and deadlines.
Safety and Housekeeping : Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly workplace.

Education, Experience & Special Requirements
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Requires 1 -2 seasons of experience as a Lifeguard or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
This position requires the following certifications, from the American Red Cross or an equivalent agency: First Aid, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, and Lifeguarding.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Requires satisfactory results from a pre-employment medical evaluation; pre-employment substance abuse testing and is subject to random alcohol and controlled substance testing.
An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history and sex offender registry check.
Individuals in this position cannot be listed as having a founded child abuse or neglect complaint.

Physical Demands
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Physical Requirements: Requires the ability to exert moderate, though not constant physical effort. Some combination of climbing and balancing to include walking, swimming, climbing ladders, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling. May involve the lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of moderately heavy objects and materials (20-50 pounds). May occasionally involve heavier objects and materials (up to 100 pounds).
Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and directions from supervisor.

Language Ability: Requires the ability to read program activity, attendance and evaluations forms. Requires the ability to complete attendance sheets, times cards, incident reports, program calendars, etc. using prescribed formats. Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence. Requires the ability to understand the language peculiar to performing/visual arts.
Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagrammatic form; to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations.
Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, and follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently using standard English, creative arts and recreational terminology.
Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas. Must be able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.
Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using a variety of recreational equipment.
Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, such as recreational and water equipment.
Color Discrimination : Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of colors.
Interpersonal Temperament : Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress (emergency situation).
Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking -expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing-perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
01


Do you have a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record?

• Yes
• No

02


Please select the highest level of education completed.

• Less than High School
• High School Diploma or GED
• Some College
• Associates/Vocational/Technical
• Bachelor's Degree or Higher

03


Do you have at least one season of experience as a Lifeguard?

• Yes
• No

04


Do you have an American Red Cross or an equivalent agency: First Aid, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, and Lifeguarding?

• Yes
• No

Required Question