Stephen Noon, the head of strategy for Yes Scotland, has joined the Scottish Government as one of John Swinney's spindoctors.
The academic will join the 12 political Special Advisers, or SpAds, already in place.
News of the appointment comes just a week after the academic published a paper which called for the Scottish Secretary to be given new powers to call a second independence referendum.
The report - co-authored with former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale - was published by Glasgow University’s Centre for Public Policy, where Mr Noon has a part-time role.
A source close to Mr Swinney told the Times: “Stephen Noon is a highly regarded thinker and political strategist with a proven track record.
"He comes at a time when it is obvious that momentum has shifted away from Labour and towards a Swinney-led SNP. This is good news for the government and bad news for Labour.”
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It is thought that he will focus on longer-term policy with a particular eye on the 2026 Holyrood election.
Mr Noon backed Kate Forbes during last year's SNP leadership contest but swung behind Mr Swinney when Humza Yousaf resigned following the botched collapse of the Bute House Agreement.
He told The Herald at the time: "I voted for Kate Forbes last year because I was persuaded by her argument that ‘continuity won’t cut it’.
"A year on, I believe the more pressing need is unity and stability and that is something John offers."
After the independence referendum, Mr Noon left Scotland and moved to Canada where he gave up everything for a life of poverty, chastity and obedience as a trainee Jesuit priest.
He returned to Scotland two years ago and entered academia.
Mr Noon worked for Mr Swinney during his first spell as SNP leader in the early 2000s and in Alex Salmond’s constituency office, then in the SNP whips’ office at Westminster.
He told The Herald he a "huge admiration for John" and that he was "really looking forward to working for him."
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