Jane Hill will join ITV on 14 July as head of public affairs.

The role is understood to be newly-created and Hill will report to Nigel Warner, director of public affairs at ITV.

Hill is currently government affairs manager at Marks & Spencer.

ITV's previous public affairs chief Sophie Jones recently left to take the the top lobbying role at Channel 4. She made the switch in January this year.

Last month, it emerged that most of ITV's 75-strong programme publicity department would have to reapply for their jobs in a major shake-up of the broadcaster's PR operation (PRWeek, 13 June).

It is understood that the team will be slimmed down to about 50 staff.

Group director of corporate affairs Mark Gallagher has set about overhauling ITV's corporate comms operation since moving from Camelot last year.