Office structure

Through resolution 71/291, the General Assembly established the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism in accordance with the five functions set out in the report of the Secretary-General (A/71/858), namely: 

• To provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates entrusted to the Secretary-General from across the United Nations system; 
• To enhance coordination and coherence across the 38 Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force [Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact] entities to ensure the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy; 
• To strengthen the delivery of United Nations counter-terrorism capacity-building assistance to Member States; 
• To improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for United Nations counter-terrorism efforts; and 
• To ensure that due priority is given to counter-terrorism across the United Nations system and that the important work on preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the Strategy.

The governance framework of UNOCT includes the Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism (USG UNOCT) as head of Office, the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the Senior Management Team (SMT), and the Programme Review Board (PRB).

• The Under-Secretary-General directs and oversees the implementation of all the activities of UNOCT; ensures policy leadership and coordination within the United Nations system in the area of counter-terrorism; engages in high-level consultations with Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, international and regional organizations and civil society groups; and represents the Secretary-General in meetings related to the mandate and functions of UNOCT and in intergovernmental organs and expert bodies as required. USG UNOCT concurrently serves as the Executive Director of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) and as Chairperson of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact. 
• The Senior Leadership Team and Senior Management Team of UNOCT, chaired by the USG UNOCT, are strategic management bodies that support the executive decision-making process through the provision of consultative guidance, critical insights, and informed advice to USG UNOCT.
• The Senior Leadership Team is responsible to assist the USG in making decisions on issues of strategic consequence or of a sensitive nature, requiring principal-level attention and advice. Membership in the Senior Leadership Team is limited to principal-level staff with a composition that reflects an integrated representation of all branches and divisions of the Office. 
• The Senior Management Team is responsible to exchange views and updates among senior management on the Office’s ongoing and proposed activities and related management issues to form a common operating picture; enhance cooperation and reduce duplication, propose options, different positions, and solutions on a range of issues; receive guidance and feedback from USG UNOCT. Membership in the Senior Management Team includes UNOCT staff members at the P-5 and above levels including Acting Chiefs and designated Officers-in-Charge. 
• The Programme Review Board of the UNOCT is the primary internal control and governance mechanism for all capacity-building and technical assistance activities of the Office. The Board is responsible for exercising senior strategic guidance and oversight to ensure the effective and efficient release and management of extrabudgetary funding provided to UNOCT in fulfilment of its mandate, through its review of all programme and project submissions financed in part or whole by UNOCT extrabudgetary funding, and the review of the annual UNOCT cost plan, for the consideration and approval of the Under-Secretary-General. 

The four organizational units headed by UNOCT principal-level staff

Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism (OUSG)

The Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General (DUSG) and Director of UNOCT plays a critical role in supporting the Under-Secretary-General and providing leadership and strategic planning in the execution of policy, coordination, and operations of the Office. DUSG reports to the Under-Secretary-General and supervises organizational units within OUSG structure such as Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) Liaison Section and the EU/UN Global Threats Facility.

The Chief of Office of the Under-Secretary-General (C/OUSG) supports the Under-Secretary-General in carrying out his responsibilities and supervises organizational units responsible for front office operations and strategic communications; resource mobilization and donor relations; and evaluation and compliance.

The Office is responsible for providing strategic advice and direct substantive support for the effective execution of the mandates of the Office of Counter-Terrorism including policy guidance and leadership, coordination, capacity-building, advocacy and resource mobilization; quality control and assurance of the Office’s products and services; coordination and coherence of internal and external communications; strengthened liaison with CTED; and strengthened accountability, internal controls and evaluations of the Office’s programme plan.

United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT)

The Under-Secretary-General, in his capacity as Executive Director of UNCCT, is assisted by a Director and a Deputy Director, who support both the Under-Secretary-General and the Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General and Director of UNOCT in guiding and supervising the work of UNCCT. The main responsibility of UNCCT is to provide capacity-building assistance, as a Centre of Excellence, to support Member States’ efforts to counter terrorism and prevent and counter violent extremism as and when conducive to terrorism, in line with the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, as well as with the UNCCT Vision Statement, the UNCCT Five-Year Plan and the guidance of the UNCCT Advisory Board. This is particularly done in coordination with Global Compact entities through an “all-of-UN” approach, and by building partnerships with Member States, international, regional and sub-regional organizations, civil society organizations, private sector, academic institutions and think-tanks, as relevant.

Special Projects and Innovation Branch (SPIB)

The Special Projects and Innovation Branch is headed by a Chief. The Branch is responsible for leading in the conceptualization, development and implementation of special technical assistance programmes that require increased coordination and partnership with other Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact entities and the UNCCT; developing the Office’s surge capacity to better assist Member States; forging partnerships including with the private sector, academia and other public sector organizations; and developing, designing and implementing, in close collaboration with UNCCT, innovative and technological solutions applied to preventing and countering terrorism in areas such as countering terrorist travel, protection of critical infrastructure and soft targets, sports, investigative capacity, and parliamentary engagement.

Policy, Knowledge Management and Coordination Branch (PKMCB)

The Policy, Knowledge Management and Coordination Branch is headed by a Chief. The Branch is responsible for providing strategic counter-terrorism policy advice and analysis on country/regional engagement and key thematic issues; drafting and coordinating the preparation of reports of the Secretary-General on counter-terrorism, as mandated by the General Assembly and the Security Council; promoting coordination and coherence in the counter-terrorism and PVE work of the United Nations system; developing and strengthening relations with Member States, and partnerships with international, regional and sub-regional organizations, including civil society organizations; supporting relevant intergovernmental processes as mandated, including the biennial review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy; and supporting the conceptualization, planning and organization of major UNOCT conferences and high-level events.