PR – When Jamie Charles began his Sandals journey in 2013, he never imagined becoming the Operations Manager for the Resort- he simply sought excellence and opportunities to help others. At the turn of the pandemic in 2021, to bolster upper level management, Jamie Charles was promoted to the executive level as the Resort Operations Manager.
Back in 2013, Charles formed part of the opening team for Sandals Grenada Resort, “When I heard about Sandals, I found it was the perfect place for me to accomplish my goals while enjoying what I do. I have always had a passion for helping people and meeting people from different cultural backgrounds and also solving problems,” Charles shared.
A problem solver indeed, as a front desk agent Charles addressed his fair share of guest requests, and handled these impressively thus leading to his climb up the ladder to front office supervisor. After making his mark at the front office for four years, when the opportunity came to lead the concierge department (Club Sandals) he was the natural choice to take over the department in 2017.
According to Juliana Smith, former club sandals agent (now supervisor) who trained with Jamie Charles, “Jamie was not just my manager, he is a leader. I’ll never forget when he told me, ‘Julz, when you feel like giving up, push even harder.’ I had no choice but to persevere. With that type of support and encouragement how could I fail?”
A thinker and motivator, Charles has evolved professionally and personally. “During my time at Sandals, I have also learned to be more patient and understanding while constantly looking for ways to improve myself and the persons around me. I look forward to continuing along the path to success and I am committed to always striving for excellence. My biggest hope is that I can inspire others along the way, encouraging my fellow colleagues or anyone looking up to me to be the best they can be,” Charles said.
Now at the latter segment of his undergraduate degree in International Business, he credits his success to his mentor, General Manager, Peter Fraser, noting that, “Mr. Fraser, has been extremely supportive over the years. Firstly, by believing in me -affording me the opportunity to take on many responsibilities while giving me full autonomy to make decisions and offering guidance where necessary. He has also been supportive in allowing me to further my educational journey while continuing to work.”
He continued, “Pursuing my degree while working has been advantageous to me as I have the unique opportunity to practically observe and apply my knowledge to make a difference in the functioning of the resort. For me, it doesn’t stop here, I have plans to continue on even further with my academic pursuits.”
His natural conviction and commitment to excellence, paired with the Sandals culture of learning and development, and training through its Sandals Corporate University, has led to doors of opportunity opening even wider as the resort chain is in a growth phase, with a new resort just opened, Sandals Royal Curaçao, three more in the pipeline for Jamaica, as well as Beaches St. Vincent carded for 2023, the opportunity for talent is extraordinary.
Commenting on Charles’ upward trajectory, his senior and mentor, Peter Fraser stated, “Jamie is a deep thinker and a high achiever who strongly believes in the principle that contented team members make happy guests. A balance he rolls out to the team in his one and one sessions. I know he will continue to soar.”
