Wilkins, who grew up in Canterbury and has been a Tactix specialist coach for the past three years, replaces incumbent Marianne Delaney-Hoshek.
"It’s pretty exciting and it was too good an opportunity not to have thrown my name in the hat for the coaching role," Wilkins said.
Wilkins, who will move from Southland to Christchurch, is a dual international having played 56 tests for the Silver Ferns and 95 games for the Tall Ferns.
Her three children will attend secondary school in Christchurch next year and Wilkins said it was the right time for her to give back to the region.
It will be Wilkins’ first official elite coaching role, but she started as an assistant to her former coach, the late Robyn Broughton, in the ANZ Championship.
She was called in as a specialist shooting coach for the Silver Ferns before the 2019 World Cup, guided the Southland men’s team from the national B grade to A grade, and coached at grassroots in Eastern Southland.
"I haven’t had an elite team like the Tactix, but this is a great opportunity for me to get immersed in the environment and learn the role as well,” Wilkins said.
"I think I’m ready for it. I’ve been around those elite players for a few years now and it will be good to test my skills."
