About Stewie the Duck Swim School
The Stewie the Duck Swim School is a premier, best-in-class learn-to-swim facility that makes learning to swim fun!
In 2023, Kim and Stew Leonard, Jr. opened the first Stewie the Duck Swim School in Norwalk, Connecticut, across the street from the flagship Stew Leonard’s farm fresh food store. (Stew's father opened the first Stew Leonard's store in Norwalk in 1969!) The mission of Stewie the Duck Swim School is to save a life, one swim lesson at a time. All proceeds from the swim school are used to fund swim lessons for underserved children.
The Norwalk location has been extremely successful - teaching over 1,000 lessons per week - so we're expanding to Clifton, NJ, in the fall of 2025! The new swim school will be next to Stew Leonard's farm-fresh food & wine store in Clifton. It will incorporate Stew Leonard’s passionate approach to customer service, world-class employee training, and professional growth. Stew Leonard's has been named on Fortune's list of "100 Best Companies to Work for in America." The company’s culture is built around an acronym for S.T.E.W., which stands for Satisfy the customer; Teamwork gets it done; Excellence makes it better; WOW makes it fun.
Stewie the Duck Swim School is named in honor of Kim and Stew Leonard, Jr.'s 21-month-old son, Stewie, who was lost in a drowning accident in 1989. Since then, they have dedicated their lives to preventing this tragedy from striking other families. Through the Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation and the swim school, the Leonards have raised $6M for drowning prevention by funding hundreds of thousands of free swim lessons for children in need, and educating families about water safety. Kim and Stew have also written and published two children’s books on water safety, including the award-winning “Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim.”
ROLE SUMMARY:
We are hiring a General Manager to oversee all aspects of The Stewie the Duck Swim School. While we anticipate a fall 2025 opening, we seek to fill this role now with the right candidate as this position will help build the swim school’s infrastructure. This position reports directly to the owners.
ROLE REQUIREMENTS:
10+ years’ experience
Experience teaching swimming lessons and managing a swim school or aquatic facility.
Ability to provide high-level service and create strong sense of community for customers and team members
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Strong computer skills
Ability to multitask in fast-paced environment
Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Lift 40 lbs. and be on your feet for long periods of time
Willing to travel to Norwalk, CT during training period before Clifton location opens
LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES:
Represent the Philosophy of Stewie the Duck Swim School
Create a positive and FUN learning environment
Be a role model for all teachers; Always strive to develop the team
Educate and enforce safety rules. Strive to prevent accidents and maintain discipline
Be prepared to administer first aid in the event of injury or emergency
Be a hands-on enthusiastic leader – walk the talk!
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES:
Manage sales, expenses, payroll, staff/class scheduling, enrollment, marketing and other applicable business operations
Communicate with parents by email and phone.
Problem solve facility issues and customer concerns in a professional manner
Analyze and disseminate data and communicate key metrics to the team
Oversee budgets, meet financial targets and implement revenue initiatives
Hire and oversee continuous training of all swim staff
Conduct performance reviews
Plan and schedule special events
Manage, communicate, and coordinate coverage for time off and sub requests
All administration pertaining to student records, progress reports, move up policies and procedures
Track and ensure that staff certifications are kept on file and current
Maintain responsibility for pool area cleaning, maintenance and safety
Ensure that water chemistry, equipment and chemicals are monitored and documented completely.
Benefits:
Health insurance
PTO
Fun team atmosphere
Competitive pay
Salary range $80,000-$100,000
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Member schools are independently owned and operated. Your application will go directly to the member school, and all hiring decisions will be made by the management of this school. All inquiries about employment at these schools should be made directly to the school location, and not to US Swim School Association.