Let's skip the corporate clichés. You are not looking for another job where recruiting means posting an ad and waiting. We are not looking for that kind of recruiter, either. Propel Swim Academy is growing, and our ability to serve more families depends on finding exceptional people, especially swim instructors. We need someone who enjoys going out and finding them: building relationships, testing new sources, talking with students, improving the hiring funnel, and turning staffing needs into a focused recruiting plan. If you are proactive, warm, organized, analytical, and energized by connecting the right person with the right opportunity, this may be your kind of role. The Challenge You'll Tackle As our Recruiting & People Operations Manager, your first priority is maintaining the staffing levels Propel needs to operate and grow. About 90% of our hiring is for swim instructors. You will partner with Operations to understand the staffing plan, build candidate pipelines, assess applicants, and guide strong finalists to the appropriate direct manager. Your second priority is employee experience. You will help make the journey from applicant to employee organized, welcoming, and consistent, including onboarding, benefits, recognition, reviews, raises, promotions, and off-boarding. What You'll Own Build and maintain proactive candidate pipelines through job boards, schools, colleges, referrals, community partners, social media, and hiring events. Partner with Operations during the weekly schedule meeting to establish staffing needs and hiring priorities. Write, test, and improve job advertisements; monitor source performance and recruiting spend. Screen applicants, conduct interviews, and decide who advances before the final interview. Make clear recommendations to direct managers, who make final hiring decisions. Determine starting pay within approved structures and send offer letters. Coordinate onboarding, first-day readiness, benefits, PTO, tuition assistance, recognition, reviews, raises, internal promotions, and off-boarding. Directly manage an Administrative Assistant who supports several departments. Participate as a member of Propel's Leadership Team and attend the weekly Leadership L10. Provide minor organizational support to our Community Outreach Team during an upcoming transition.

The Person Who Will Thrive Here:

You create activity instead of waiting for it. You enjoy initiating conversations and can connect naturally with high school and college-age candidates. You combine warmth with judgment and do not lower hiring standards to hit a number. You are highly organized and follow through without constant reminders. You can use funnel data to decide what to try next. You enjoy managing and developing another person. You can move between focused independent work, interviews, leadership meetings, and employee connection. You are comfortable with technology and learn new systems quickly. You genuinely connect with Propel's core values: Team First, Up for Anything, Growth & Learning, High Standards, and Look on the Bright Side.

Schedule and Work Location:

This is a full-time position with a flexible, work-needs-based schedule. We encourage you to work where each kind of work is best done. Focused planning, reporting, and writing may happen remotely. Interviews, onboarding, meetings, employee connection, and events often require being at our South Riding facility or in the community. Flexibility works in both directions. The role includes one on-site 4:00-8:00 p.m. shift each week as the senior leader present. It also occasionally requires weekend hiring or staff events, weekend interviews, weekday evening interviews or events, and weekday morning events. This is not a conventional remote or fixed weekday-only position.

What You'll Receive:

$70,000-$80,000 annual base salary, depending on experience and qualifications. Performance bonus opportunity of up to 5% of annual base salary. Health insurance and paid time off. Tuition assistance when eligibility criteria are met. Family swim-lesson discounts and free uniforms. Company meals, events, and celebrations. Company-paid leadership coaching through the Clark Leadership Group.

About Propel:

Propel Swim Academy is a growing Northern Virginia swim school with approximately 50 employees. We teach skills that make people safer, build confidence, and unlock a lifetime of healthy experiences in and around the water. Our goal is to build the best swim school in the country. How to

Apply:

Submit your resume and thoughtful answers to the screening questions below. We are especially interested in learning how you create candidate pipelines when applications are not arriving on their own.

Pay:

$70,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance Employee discount Flexible schedule Health insurance Paid time off Professional development assistance Tuition reimbursement Application Question(s): Tell us about a role where you had to proactively find candidates, customers, students, or community members. What did you do, and what happened? This role includes one weekly 4:00-8:00 p.m. on-site shift and occasional morning, evening, and weekend responsibilities. Can you meet these expectations? What base salary within the posted $70,000-$80,000 range would you expect, based on your experience?

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in South Riding, VA 20152