The deputy director of social care at Ofsted joins the council as the director of children and learning.
Sally Rowe, a qualified social worker, with 24 years local authority experience, will join the team in mid summer.
Ms Rowe said: “Building on the progress that has already been achieved within children services and the excellent partnership working with communities, I want to strive to move the service up to the next level. We must ensure that as a council what we achieve for children is the very best.”