Trump names aide Kellyanne Conway as Counselor to the President

President-elect Donald Trump appointed his former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway to one of the top positions in his administration on Thursday.

"Kellyanne Conway has been a trusted advisor and strategist who played a crucial role in my victory," Trump said in a statement from his transition team naming Conway as Counselor to the President.

The cabinet-rank position will see Conway become one of the senior member of the Executive Office of the President in the Trump administration.

"She is a tireless and tenacious advocate of my agenda and has amazing insights on how to effectively communicate our message," Trump said. "I am pleased that she will be part of my senior team in the West Wing."

The high-ranking position will see her earn about $172,200 (£139,000).

Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign chief John Podesta previously held the position under President Barack Obama in 2014, and the president can have more than one person appointed to the role at one time.

Conway's official position within the incoming administration has not been clear since Trump's nomination on 8 November, but she has appeared as an official spokesperson in numerous television interviews. She is the first female campaign manager to help win a presidential election.

Trump's transition team said she will work with the Trump administration's senior members to "effectively message and execute the Administration's legislative priorities and actions."