Wilson moves to Newcastle from Nottingham Forest.
He replaces Paul Mitchell, who lasted less than 12 months with the Magpies having taken over from Dan Ashworth.
Wilson said: "I'm absolutely delighted to be here at Newcastle United. This is such a special club, and I fully understand the passion, ambition and expectations of our incredible supporters, as well as the ambition and desire of our ownership to keep developing and building an even stronger Newcastle United.
"My conversations with ownership have been extremely positive, and I've also been in regular contact with Eddie Howe and David Hopkinson. The trust, cohesion and alignment we're building already feels strong, and we believe that being united as a team will be so important as we continue to move the club forward together.
"I'm excited to work with everyone across the different areas within our football department. There's already excellent work being done here and, from the first team to the women's team and academy, my aim is to build on that, strengthen our structures over time, and work with our staff to create environments where players and staff can continue to thrive."
David Hopkinson, Newcastle United's CEO, said: "I am delighted to welcome Ross to Newcastle United. His experience and expertise immediately strengthen us, and his appointment is another important step forward in our journey.
"Ross has a track record of delivering strategic change. He has instilled processes and built relationships that have helped his clubs to win and grow, and he has demonstrated his ability to enhance talent pathways and integrate women's football into the same high-performing culture.
"We are looking forward to working with him as we build towards our ambitions for long-term sustainable success."