Ms Merrick is currently director of services and research at the UK Council for International Student Affairs and will take up the position of chief executive on 27 August.
Her previous roles include European programmes officer and assistant registrar at the University of Sussex.
Ms Pacey's last day at Early Education is 6 September, following a two-week handover period.
Commenting on the appointment, Early Education President Helen Moylett and interim chair Julian Grenier said, ‘Beatrice is very highly thought of by a wide range of people in the world of international student affairs and we are extremely fortunate to have been able to recruit someone of her calibre to succeed Megan.’
‘Sadly, this means we are saying goodbye to Megan, who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of Early Education in her four years as chief executive.
‘During very hard times for charities, Megan has successfully brought significant amounts of Government and grant funding our way, has reformed the way in which we support practitioner training and professional development through the Associates programme as well as hugely boosting income through the development of a series of highly successful and effective publications. As a result of her leadership, we have weathered difficult times much better than most charities of our size and been able to maintain our independence.’
During her time at Early Education Ms Pacey’s work has included lobbying the Government to highlight how proposals for a single funding formula would harm maintained nursery schools.
She also served as a member of the expert panel for the Nutbrown Review and on the Early Education Co-Production Group at the Department for Education.
Ms Moylett added, ‘Megan has done a great deal of work, often behind the scenes, to ensure that governments and opinion-makers understand the vital importance of early education, and to advocate for the right of every child and family to high quality early childhood services.
‘Megan will always have an important place in our proud history. We wish her every success.’