Long-time political operative Jonathan Hawkes is poised to become the new federal director of the National Party.

A former Liberal Party official and current media director of the Australian Forest Products Association, Mr Hawkes will be rubber-stamped by the party's federal management committee on Thursday evening, several sources have confirmed.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie will lead the Nationals centenary celebrations in 2020. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

He will replace Ben Hindmarsh who announced in November last year he would not renew his contract into 2020.

Sources close to the appointment process said Mr Hawkes had won the job ahead of Jeremy Greenwood, a former staffer to Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan.