Roger Mosey: has been BBC director of sport since 2005. Photograph: Linda Nylind

The BBC's director of sport, Roger Mosey, is to step down from his role in order to lead the corporation's preparations and operations for the London 2012 Olympic games.

Mosey will take on the new job of BBC director of London 2012, described by one source as a "mega-job".

He will oversee the corporation's sport and cultural plans for what will be the biggest event the UK has ever hosted - and the biggest ever BBC production.

The BBC director general, Mark Thompson, said: "London 2012 is one of the biggest events in the UK to be held in our lifetimes and requires all our focus and energy.

"Now is the right time to take this important step in the BBC's planning for this momentous year.

"I witnessed first hand in Beijing what is required to successfully deliver such a major broadcasting event, and we all saw the outstanding coverage by the BBC.

"I believe Roger Mosey is ideally placed to fulfill such a challenging and important new role."

Mosey, who will step down as director of sport once a replacement has been appointed, oversaw the BBC's hugely successful coverage of the Beijing games last month.

In his new role, as well as dealing with the BBC's own preparations for 2012, he will also lead the corporation's relationship with external bodies such as the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (Locog).

Although the BBC is not the host broadcaster for the 2012 games - coverage is contracted out by an Olympic company to broadcasters from around the world - expectations will be high for what it can do.

Mosey has previously said he believes the games - which will coincide with the switchover to digital TV - will be as pivotal for British TV as the Coronation was 50 years ago, with the BBC hoping to show every event live.

"We know the Olympics are big operations and are even bigger now with the scale of the media interest," one BBC source said.

"What will be different next time is they are in Britain and, while there isn't a host broadcaster, the BBC has got to be perfect. It has really got to do a job where everyone says 'thank God for the BBC' and we need a big figure to make this happen."

Mosey, who has been director of sport since August 2005, has had a number of high-profile roles within the BBC - he has been editor of Radio 4's Today programme, controller of BBC Radio 5 Live and head of BBC television news.

In his new role, he will report to the deputy director general, Mark Byford, who is chairman of the BBC-wide London 2012 steering group.

Byford said: "The scale of the planning involved for London 2012 means it's right we appoint a full-time coordinating director now and Roger will be a pivotal player in ensuring the BBC provides well-coordinated, outstanding and innovative content."

Mosey added: "I am delighted to be taking up this exciting new role and new challenge which will allow us to build on the success of Beijing and deliver something even bigger and better for London.

"I believe there's a fantastic opportunity to bring the whole of the BBC together - globally, nationally and locally - to provide an unforgettable sporting and cultural experience for our audiences."

The change of role will mean Mosey will not move with the rest of the sport department to its new home in Salford in 2011.

A small team, thought to be around 20 to 30 people, will stay in the capital to oversee preparations.

Meanwhile, BBC sport's head of events, Dave Gordon, who coordinated the Beijing coverage, has also been confirmed in the role for the London games.

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2012년 런던 올림픽.
역시나 올림픽이 주는 기대는 크다.
베이징 올림픽이 끝난지 얼마 되지도 않아 4년 후를 기대하는-
88올림픽 이후 우리나라의 성장을 생각하면, 런던, 그 곳의 사람들이 기대하는 바를 이해하겠다.
올림픽에 있어 미디어가 차지하는 영향력, 무척이나 중요하다.
더욱 제대로된 올림픽 및 미디어 환경을 제공하길 기대해본다.