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Kevin Seales serves as Principal Adviser in Employment Relations within the Human Resources Division at the University of Otago. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Canterbury, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Otago, a Master of Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University, and is a Certified Member of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand (CMHRINZ). Appointed as Director of Human Resources in February 2005 by Vice-Chancellor Professor David Skegg, Seales provided over two decades of service to the university. The 2024 University of Otago Annual Report acknowledged his commitment, noting his farewell after extensive contributions to the institution's human resources functions.
In his leadership as Director, Seales was executive sponsor for the Support Services Review (SSR), a major restructuring process beginning in 2017 that addressed support services across the university with over 3,800 staff equivalents. By 2018, the review prompted 155 expressions of interest for voluntary redundancies and began taking effect. Seales expressed pleasure at staff engagement in the 2019 culture shaping project, designed to embed values of respect, integrity, curiosity, and community, leading to a dedicated resources webpage in 2020. The Human Resources Division under his oversight earned the Rainbow Tick certification in 2018 for inclusive practices supporting rainbow staff and students. He oversaw the 2023 social impact leave trial, seeking staff feedback via email. Seales contributed to key documents including guidance for staff sending personal information offshore, the employee privacy statement, and the parental leave guide. He participated in Vice-Chancellor Advisory Group (VCAG) discussions and represented the university in national human resources communities of practice. His statements have clarified university adherence to employment law, including shift breaks, good faith bargaining, and tutor remuneration based on qualifications.
