Jillisa Henry is just getting started

WHEN Jillisa Henry first walked through the doors of Sandals Dunn’s River in 2023 she was looking for more than a job; she was looking for a place where she could build a career. As a then recent graduate of The University of the West Indies, Henry knew the uncertainty that often follows graduation. She had applied for jobs, received rejection letters, and wondered whether the career she had envisioned for herself would ever take shape. Sandals Dunn’s River was not necessarily where she had expected to begin, but she decided to give herself a challenge: Grow or go.

If she could not see herself developing within the two years she would know it was time to move on. Three years later, the young front office agent who walked through those doors became a front office supervisor and now the resort’s warehouse manager.

Her Sandals journey actually began before she arrived at the resort. As part of the pre-opening team Henry spent her first week training with the corporate team. She was impressed by the company’s investment in learning and development, and quickly began to see the possibilities of building a future within the organisation. “That’s when I decided to be truly ‘Sandalised’,” she recalls.

Once she arrived at Sandals Dunn’s River, however, the real learning began. In the early days of the resort’s operation Henry took on responsibilities beyond her role as a front office agent, particularly within reservations. The experience was demanding, and there were moments when she questioned whether she had made the right decision by staying. Still, she continued to show up with pride and determination.

Then came a conversation that would change the way she saw herself.

During one particularly difficult period, Sandals Dunn’s River Operations Manager Natania Ellis-Dunkley noticed that Henry was not herself. Rather than simply addressing the challenges of the job, Ellis-Dunkley took the time to sit with her, listen, and offer the guidance she needed. Most importantly, she reminded Henry of something she had not yet fully recognised in herself — her potential.

“She told me that I am a very brilliant and outstanding young lady but that she needed me to believe that, then I will become unstoppable,” Henry remembers.

Those words stayed with her. So did the example of a leader who took the time to see more in her than she could see in herself.

By the time Henry became front office supervisor she had already begun preparing herself for leadership. The promotion was a goal she had worked towards but stepping into the role quickly taught her that being good at a job and leading people are two different things. She had to learn how to delegate, communicate effectively, trust her team, and resist the urge to do everything herself.

One lesson in particular stayed with her: “A good leader is measured by how well the team performs in their absence.”

As she grew into the role, Henry also learned that leadership requires resilience. Difficult days are inevitable but they do not have to determine the outcome. She began to understand that a strong leader is not necessarily the person who can do everything themselves. A strong leader is someone who empowers others to succeed.

Still, Henry knew there was more for her to learn.

Her time in the front office had given her a deep understanding of the guest experience and the many moving parts required to create it. She had seen firsthand how much a team member could influence a guest’s stay, but she also became curious about what happened behind the scenes. She wanted to understand the systems, processes and people that keep the resort running. She wanted to know more about what she calls the “heart of the house”.

That curiosity eventually led her somewhere she never expected.

When a vacancy opened for warehouse manager Henry decided to apply. Moving from rooms division into warehouse operations meant stepping away from the environment she knew and entering an entirely new area of the business. She had once imagined herself moving into finance but she never expected warehouse management to become her next career step.

“I had mixed feelings,” she admits. “This now meant I had to step out of my comfort zone and into the unknown.”

Although Henry had some familiarity with the warehouse from collecting requisitioned items, she knew she had much to learn. She researched, prepared for her interview, and committed herself to learning the role. The transition came with its share of uncertainty. At first, the possibility of failure weighed heavily on her, but instead of allowing fear to hold her back she used it as motivation to keep learning.

Today, she oversees the warehouse and the systems that help ensure the resort has the operational and food supplies it needs, when it needs them. The role has brought a new level of accountability, particularly through constant audits and the responsibility of safeguarding the resort’s inventory. But she has approached the position as more than an opportunity to manage stock. She has focused on strengthening the department itself.

Henry believes that the success of the warehouse is not simply about having organised shelves or accurate inventory. It is about having a team that works together, identifies issues early, and takes pride in the work they do. Her leadership philosophy has remained consistent throughout her journey. She leads by example, recognises people’s strengths, provides constructive feedback, and looks for opportunities to help others develop.

When she first started, success meant reaching a certain position or earning a particular title. Today, she sees it differently. Success is growth. It is making an impact, earning the trust of others, developing people, and leaving something better than you found it.

She is not finished. From front office agent to supervisor and now warehouse manager, every step has required her to become more adaptable, courageous, and intentional about the leader she wants to be. She now sees her future extending into senior or executive leadership, where she hopes to influence operations, develop people, and make an even greater impact within the organisation.

For now, she is focused on continuing to learn and becoming ready for whatever comes next.

If she could speak to the young woman who first walked through the doors of Sandals Dunn’s River in 2023, Henry would tell her not to be afraid to dream beyond the position she holds today. She would tell her to ask questions, build relationships, remain humble, and prepare for opportunities she cannot yet see. Most importantly, she would remind her not to confuse where she is with where she is going.

Because her story is not simply about moving from one position to another. It is about having the courage to keep growing when the next step is uncertain. It is about accepting opportunities that stretch you, learning from the people who believe in you, and discovering that you are capable of more than you once imagined.

Jillisa Henry came to Sandals Dunn’s River looking for a job. What she found was a career, a purpose, and the confidence to become more than she ever imagined. And she is still growing, still learning, and still becoming the woman she now knows she can be.