BRUSSELS—The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has appointed its first intelligence chief, a post designed to help the alliance improve information sharing and counterterrorism coordination.

Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee who has repeatedly criticized NATO for too little focus on countering terrorism, said that the creation of the new post shows the alliance taking steps to react to his criticism.

Officials said Friday that alliance Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is appointing Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven of Germany as assistant secretary-general for intelligence and security.

Officials have said much of the initial work of the new assistant secretary-general for intelligence will focus on improving intelligence sharing focused on Russia’s military buildup as well as addressing duplication in civilian and military intelligence efforts.

But officials have said the new post could also help improve counterterrorism intelligence sharing—pushing NATO into an area often left to bilateral cooperation.