Peter Wanless, currently chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund, will join NSPCC in the same role in June.

He has led BIG for the last five years and prior to that has held senior positions at the Department for Children, Schools and Families (now Department for Education) and the Treasury.

Wanless said: “This was an unexpected move, but the opportunity to become chief executive of the NSPCC at a critical moment in the nation’s effort to eradicate child abuse and neglect was one I wanted to lead.”

He added: “The opportunity to lead the largest and most trusted children’s charity in the UK is one I am very excited to be taking on. But I have no misconceptions about the size of the challenge awaiting me. No child should suffer neglect or abuse and I am determined that together we work towards our goal of ending child cruelty in the UK.”

His appointment follows the publication by the Metropolitan Police of the Operation Yewtree report into allegations of "unprecedented" child abuse at the hands of now deceased television presenter Jimmy Savile and numerous other public figures. The scandal saw a "huge influx" of calls to the NSPCC, said Peter Watt, the charity's director of child protection advice and awareness, who co-authored the report.

NSPCC’s current CEO, Andrew Flanagan, announced his resignation in October last year after four years at the charity. He told staff in an email that: “I believe now is time for someone different to take things forward and champion your work, my leaving allows that to happen.” He will leave in March and has not revealed what his future plans are.

The charity recently announced that Paul Farthing will take up the post of director of fundraising in April. NSPCC has been without a fundraising chief since interim director of fundraising Mike Parker left in September 2012, after seven months in the post, with Flanagan taking responsibility for the fundraising team.

Last year NSPCC reported its fifth consecutive budget deficit in its annual accounts, with its income down £20m on four years ago.

Mark Wood, chair of trustees at NSPCC, said: “We are delighted to have recruited Peter. He has ideal experience for this challenging role and brings with him a depth of knowledge of both the charity and children’s sectors.”

Wood also thanked Flanagan for his “tireless work” and said: “We owe him a great debt for his achievements in confidently developing our new and innovative services to prevent child abuse.”

BIG’s chairman Peter Ainsworth said: “I would like to put on record my personal thanks for the work Peter has delivered over the past five years at Big Lottery Fund. He has shown exceptional leadership during a very challenging time for the people and communities we support.” BIG will now begin the process of recruiting a successor.