Lloyd will take over as LGA chief executive from Carolyn Downs, who is to move to become chief at Brent Council in the autumn. His appointment follows interviews with the LGA's political leadership.
Lloyd said he was committed to supporting councils across the country during a period of fundamental change.
“It's clear to me that the LGA is wholly committed to powerfully representing councils in Westminster and Whitehall especially in the face of huge budget pressures,” he said.
“Like councillors across the country, the LGA's leadership is determined to ensure local areas get substantial devolution deals and support councils' efforts to drive economic growth, support job creation and tackle housing needs. It will be my privilege to draw upon my experience of running councils to help the LGA achieve objectives that matter to our member councils across the whole country."
Lloyd has been chief executive of Cambridgeshire since 2008, where he helped oversee the county’s £500m City Deal and has led the development and implementation of the LGSS shared services initiative. Prior to this, he was chief executive of Durham County Council.
Welcoming the appointment, LGA chair Gary Porter said Lloyd had the expertise, skills and knowledge to work with local authorities across the country, and with Whitehall.
"Mark proved himself to be a standout candidate among a high calibre group,” he added.
“I look forward to working with him to continue to drive forward the key issues for our members on further devolution, fair funding and securing a sustainable adult social care system."
