Build Mode: Automating People / Operations with AI

New
·

7 Weeks

·

Cohort-based Course

The only course that teaches People and Operations leaders to build AI-powered automations that actually deliver ROI

We'll be using

OpenAI
n8n.io
Google Workspace
Notion
Perplexity

Course overview

A 6-week practical course to get you building ai automations and improving ROI

🔥 The Problem (Why This Matters Now)


You're Drowning in Manual Work While Others Are Scaling Intelligently.


👉 Every day you're losing ground. While you're stuck copying data between spreadsheets, duplicating documents in google drive, and manually tracking processes that should run themselves, your competitors are building automated systems that:


Save 10-20 hours per week on routine operations

Scale well without proportional headcount increases

Reduce errors by 90% through intelligent automation

Deliver 300%+ ROI within the first 180 days



The gap between manual operations and automated excellence is widening every week.


👀 The question isn't whether you'll automate, it's whether you'll lead the transformation or get left behind.


The Hidden Cost of "Simple" Manual Processes


- That "quick" weekly report you compile? It's costing you $18,000 annually.

- That onboarding checklist you manage manually? $25,000 per year in hidden costs.

- Those approval workflows running through email? $40,000 in delayed decisions and missed opportunities.


Most People and Operations leaders underestimate the true cost of manual processes by 400%.


They see the 30 minutes, not the compounding effects of delays, errors, and opportunity costs.


💪 The Solution:


⚡️ The Only Course That Teaches Problem-First Automation for People and Operations Leaders - we focus on using a product approach.


💪 Build Mode isn't another "tools training" course. It's the strategic approach that transforms how you think about operations, backed by hands-on building that delivers immediate ROI.


You'll learn the exact methodology that I use to help leaders at scaling companies:

😇 Save 20+ hours per week through intelligent automation

🔥 Reduce manual errors by 95% with AI-powered workflows

💪 Reduce reliance on new headcount and focus on the strategic leverage


What You'll Master in 6 Weeks


🔍 Week 1: Strategic Foundation - From Problems to Automation Opportunities


- Master the Problem-First methodology for identifying high-ROI automation opportunities

- Build business cases that leadership actually approves

- Create your personal automation roadmap with clear priorities

- Develop confidence in approaching new technologies systematically


🧠 Week 2: AI Building Blocks - Prompts, Agents & Data Intelligence


- Advanced prompting techniques specifically for People/Operations use cases

- Build custom GPTs for repeatable business processes

- Master data extraction, transformation, and intelligent routing

- Create AI-powered micro-agents for common operational tasks


🛠️ Week 3: n8n Foundations - Building Your First Automated Workflows


- Master n8n fundamentals through hands-on People/Operations examples

Connect your actual business tools and systems

- Build, test, and deploy your first automated workflows

- Learn debugging and optimization techniques that prevent costly failures


⚡ Week 4: Advanced Automations - Multi-System Integration & Data Intelligence


- Create complex workflows that span multiple business systems

- Implement AI-powered decision making and intelligent routing

- Build automated reporting and insights dashboards

- Master data transformation without technical complexity


🤖 Week 5: Custom AI Agents & Advanced Use Cases


- Design and build a small custom AI agent for a specific business function or task

- Implement advanced patterns: approval workflows, escalation systems, SLA management

- Master security, privacy, and compliance in automated systems

- Create self-monitoring and self-improving workflows


🚀 Week 6: Scaling & Optimization - Building a Sustainable Automation Practice


- Present your capstone automation project solving a real business problem

- Design change management strategy for organizational adoption

- Build internal training and comms

- Create long-term automation roadmaps and ROI projections



Who is this course for

01

People Operations Directors and VPs who need to scale their function without proportional headcount increases

02

HR Business Partners and Generalists who want to move from administrative tasks to strategic value creation by automating routine processes.

03

Operations Managers and Leaders responsible for cross-functional processes who are tired of manual coordination and ready to build systems

04

Chief of Staff and Strategic Operations professionals who need to optimize organizational efficiency and want to demonstrate measurable ROI

05

Fractional HR Leaders who need to do more with less and want to build scalable operations from the beginning rather than retrofitting

Prerequisites

  • Spend more than 5 hours per week on repetitive tasks that could be automated

  • Manage processes that touch multiple systems and require manual coordination

  • Are ready to invest time in learning to save exponentially more time later

What you’ll get out of this course

Immediate Business Impact

  • 5+ working automation workflows saving 15+ hours per week
  • ROI-tracked implementations with clear business case documentation
  • 1x Custom AI agent for specific People/Operations functions
  • Strategic automation roadmap for continued organizational scaling


Strategic Capabilitie

  • Problem-first thinking that identifies high-impact automation opportunities
  • Leadership buy-in frameworks that secure budget and support for initiatives
  • Change management strategies for successful automation adoption
  • Governance and scaling methodologies

Technical Mastery

  • Great n8n workflow building capability with complex integrations and error handling
  • AI integration expertise including custom GPTs and intelligent decision-making
  • Data transformation and routing across multiple business systems
  • Security and compliance knowledge for automations

Long-term Value

  • Personal automation toolkit with templates and frameworks for future projects
  • Internal training capabilities to build automation skills across your team
  • Strategic roadmap for evolving your automation practice over time
  • Community and network of like-minded People and Ops folks!

What’s included

Matt Bradburn

Live sessions

Learn directly from Matt Bradburn in a real-time, interactive format.

Lifetime access

Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.

Community of peers

Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.

Certificate of completion

Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.

6 Live Workshop Sessions (75 minutes each)

Interactive learning directly from Matt Bradburn, with real-time problem solving and hands-on building exercises

Weekly Office Hours

Get personalized feedback on your automation projects, troubleshoot technical challenges, and discuss implementation strategies with me

Comprehensive Learning Materials

12 Instructional Videos (20 minutes each) Deep-dive tutorials with techniques, real-world case studies, and step-by-step implementations

Capstone Project

Present a fully-functional automation system with ROI analysis, security considerations, and scaling plan, your proof of mastery and busines

Maven Guarantee

This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.

Course syllabus

7 live sessions • 24 lessons • 6 projects

Week 1

Oct 27—Nov 2

    Week 1: Strategic Foundation - From Problems to Automation Opportunities

    5 items

    Oct

    28

    Live Session (75 mins): The Problem-First Framework - Why most automations fail and how to avoid it

    Tue 10/284:00 PM—5:15 PM (UTC)

Week 2

Nov 3—Nov 9

    Week 2: AI Building Blocks - Prompts, Agents & Data Intelligence

    5 items

    Nov

    4

    Live Session (75 mins): Building Your AI Command Center

    Tue 11/44:00 PM—5:15 PM (UTC)

Week 3

Nov 10—Nov 16

    Week 3: n8n Foundations - Building Your First Automated Workflows

    5 items

    Nov

    11

    Live Session (75 mins): Hands-on n8n Workshop

    Tue 11/114:00 PM—5:15 PM (UTC)

Week 4

Nov 17—Nov 23

    Week 4: Advanced Automations - Multi-System Integration & Data Intelligence

    5 items

    Nov

    18

    Live Session (75 mins): Advanced Integration Workshop

    Tue 11/184:00 PM—5:15 PM (UTC)

Week 5

Nov 24—Nov 30

    Week 5: Custom AI Agents & Advanced Use Cases

    5 items

    Nov

    25

    Live Session (75 mins): AI Agent Development Workshop

    Tue 11/254:00 PM—5:15 PM (UTC)

Week 6

Dec 1—Dec 7

    Week 6: Scaling & Optimization - Building a Sustainable Automation Practice

    5 items

    Dec

    2

    Live Session (75 mins): Capstone Project Presentations & Scaling Strategies

    Tue 12/24:00 PM—5:15 PM (UTC)

Week 7

Dec 8
    Nothing scheduled for this week

Post-course

    Dec

    9

    Live Session (75 mins): Capstone Project Presentations & Scaling Strategies PART 2

    Tue 12/95:00 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)

What Makes This Different

Problem-First Methodology (Not Tool-First)

Start with business impact, not shiny tools. You'll master the framework that identifies which processes to automate first for maximum ROI, building confidence in your strategic decisions.

Built for People/Operations Leaders (Not Engineers)

Every example, template, and use case is designed specifically for People and Operations functions. No generic business automation. This is laser-focused on your world.


Hands-On Building (Not Just Theory)

80% practical application with expert guidance at every step. You'll build real working automations that solve actual problems in your organization, not theoretical examples.

ROI-Driven from Day One

Every automation you build includes business case development and ROI tracking. You'll speak the language of business impact, not just technical capabilities.

Leadership Buy-In Mastery

Learn the frameworks that get skeptical leadership to say "yes" to automation initiatives, including budget approval and resource allocation strategies.

What people are saying

        Matt is a great mentor on this course! Not only is the content at the forefront of the tech landscape, Matt provided us with great personal insights too and I took a lot away!
Abigail

Abigail

People Partner
        The course was very well structured and super helpful in relation to how to use AI effectively for projects and in People roles. Matt was great with questions and it was clear he is knowledgeable. The course was broken down into bite size chunks which means it was not overwhelming so overall I would 100% recommend
Rakhee

Rakhee

Senior People Partner

Meet your instructor

Matt Bradburn

Matt Bradburn

HR Technology Expert | AI Automation Strategist | Former Consulting Firm Founder

I built and sold a People Operations consulting firm after helping hundreds of organisations scale their teams and processes.


Now I focus exclusively on the intersection of AI and People Operations, teaching leaders to build automation systems that deliver measurable business impact.


This is my THIRD maven course now 💪


If you want the beginner version: CHECK HERE


Why I Created This Course:

"I watched too many talented People and Operations leaders get stuck in manual processes while their engineering colleagues built automated solutions. This course gives you the same strategic thinking and practical skills, tailored specifically for our domain."


My Background:

  • Founded and sold The People Collective, a People Operations consulting firm
  • Consulted with 200+ growing companies on scaling people processes - Multiverse, Pret A Manger, Motorway, ProtexAI, Rimes, Finom, Accurx, VEED
  • Expert in AI applications for HR and Operations with deep technical understanding
  • Weekly AI newsletter read by 500+ People and Operations leaders
  • International speaker on AI automation and People Operations transformation


Teaching Philosophy:


"Automation isn't about replacing humans it's about amplifying human potential. I teach you to build systems that handle the routine work so you can focus on the strategic, creative, and relationship-building work that only humans can do."

Finom
Accurx
VEED
Multiverse
TestGorilla
A pattern of wavy dots

Join an upcoming cohort

Build Mode: Automating People / Operations with AI

Cohort 1

$900

Dates

Oct 27—Dec 8, 2025

Payment Deadline

Oct 26, 2025
Get reimbursed
Free resource

Enabling AI - A deep guide for People Ops Leaders from Head to CHRO

AI is not a silver bullet. It is an amplifier. As a VP People or CHRO you set the strategy, the guardrails, the operating model, and the culture that turns AI into commercial outcomes through your people. Start with behaviours and strategy, then level up skills and technology.

Get this free resource

Learning is better with cohorts

Learning is better with cohorts

Active hands-on learning

This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects

Interactive and project-based

You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams

Learn with a cohort of peers

Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you

Frequently Asked Questions

A pattern of wavy dots

Join an upcoming cohort

Build Mode: Automating People / Operations with AI

Cohort 1

$900

Dates

Oct 27—Dec 8, 2025

Payment Deadline

Oct 26, 2025
Get reimbursed

$900

USD

7 Weeks