The 50-year-old, who won six caps for England, will join the RFU in August and work closely with academies and national-team coaches from the under-16 age group to the senior team. He will also oversee the development of elite coaches.
"This is an opportunity for England Rugby to take that next step and become a dominant force in world rugby," Ryan said on the RFU's website (www.englandrugby.com).
"To do this we need to ensure we continue to develop a world-class pathway system for our players and elite coaches.
"Having excellent relationships with the professional clubs is key, and we need to be joined up in our approach so we develop players who are ready to take that step into the senior international environment and make a real impact for England."
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; Editing by John O'Brien)
