Behind the screens – meet the NMBS IT team

Tech isn’t just about shiny new systems; it’s about making sure the day-to-day runs smoothly and safely. At NMBS, the IT team are the people doing just that, keeping people connected, data secure and systems working for everyone across the business.

Whether it’s setting up new starters, managing digital platforms or ensuring the team is using new digital innovations safely, the five-person team has a hand in nearly every part of the organisation’s digital operations.

From finance to firewalls

Jamie Freer, who is the head of IT, knows the business inside out. He’s been at NMBS for 27 years, starting out in the finance allocations team. When a role came up in IT, he made the move and has helped guide the team through huge changes, particularly the switch from using manual systems to the cloud.

Back then, it was just Jamie handling the entire IT function. But today, the team includes a dedicated cybersecurity manager, two technical engineers who keep everything from telephones to laptops running, and an apprentice who’s just started on an 18-month programme.

That growth reflects just how critical IT has become to NMBS, especially since 2019, when the business moved its entire infrastructure to the cloud. That change proved vital. The change came in just one week before the lockdown in 2020, and the team switched everything over to a fully virtual setup.

Then came the scramble to get 60 staff working from home.

“Everyone was working off desktops, so in a single weekend, we were driving across Leicester in four different cars, grabbing as many laptops as we could,” says Jamie. “By Monday morning, everyone was set up remotely. It was tight, but we made it work.”

Supporting members and suppliers

The team doesn’t just look after internal tech. They also support some of NMBS’s most used platforms, including Data Plus, in partnership with the e-commerce team.

This gives members and suppliers access to vital data, like statements and invoice information and plays a key role in streamlining day-to-day queries. While the IT team doesn’t handle those queries directly, they ensure the systems behind them are reliable, secure and kept up to date to keep everything running smoothly.

Safety first

With so much of NMBS’s operation relying on digital tools, security is always a priority.

The IT team has helped NMBS secure its Cyber Essentials accreditation for three years running, as well as just successfully passing an ISO 27001:2022 audit, both of which involve rigorous checks of systems, access controls and firewalls.

“These accreditations matter,” says Jamie. “It’s not just about ticking a box. It shows members and suppliers that their data is in safe hands. And that is how we can help build trust in NMBS.

“Tech moves fast. Our job is to stay just ahead of it, not for the sake of it, but so that NMBS can keep doing what it does best and do it even better.”

Learn more about how NMBS supports digital systems and member platforms at www.nmbs.co.uk