Campbell Robb (pictured), NCVO'S director of public policy, has been appointed as the first director general of the Office of the Third Sector.

Reporting to third sector minister Ed Miliband and social exclusion minister Hilary Armstrong in the Cabinet Office, Robb will be charged with bringing together all the various strands of government policy on the sector to ensure that programmes are delivered in a joinedup way. He will also be expected to help the government achieve its agenda for more voluntary sector delivery of public services, and to boost the role of social enterprise within society.

Robb has been on secondment to the Treasury for one day a week since March, and prior to joining the NCVO in 1998 he spent five years in various Labour Party research and policy roles. He is expected to take up his position before Christmas.

The sector responded positively to the news. John Low, chief executive of RNID and chair of Acevo, said Robb was rooted in the sector and understands all the issues. 'He's been very effective on secondment to the Treasury and seems to be able to work with the current Chancellor, which may mean he has a relationship with the future Prime Minister.' Low cautioned, however, that Robb would need to ensure he did not just become NCVO's man in the Cabinet Office.

Dianne Leyland, director of development at NAVCA, said: 'Being a bridge between the sector and government is quite a challenge but having worked with Campbell over many years we are confident he will be able to achieve it. It is important for NAVCA that with the current agenda on public service delivery, he continues the line held while at NCVO that this is only one part of what the sector does and that its campaigning and advocacy work should not be forgotten.'

CFDG chief executive Keith Hickey said: 'It is pleasing that the government has again filled a high profile job with someone from the sector; this should further enable that the sector's voice is heard and that there is increased empathy with the real issues facing charities today. We will have to wait and see if the government listens.'