Navisun Narratives: PJ Pirrotta, Senior Field Operations Manager, Asset Management
At Navisun, our team is at the core of who we are. We created the Navisun Narratives to highlight the individuals that make our company what it is and lead us toward a cleaner energy future.
We recently chatted with senior field operations manager PJ Pirrotta Madison Alcorn to learn more about his journey from apprentice electrician to leading operations across our solar portfolio. His path to Navisun is anything but conventional, and his perspective offers a grounded look at what it takes to thrive in a fast-moving industry like ours.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself to get started?
I started out as an electrical apprentice and worked my way up to become a licensed electrician. Around that time, residential solar was starting to boom, and once I got my license, I made the jump. I ended up at SolarCity for three years, where I quickly moved up to electrical crew lead — overseeing the full electrical scope of each project and managing a small crew.
After a few years, I had to take a short medical leave, and during that time, SolarCity was going through a major transition — Elon Musk was essentially buying it off himself and folding it into Tesla. Things got a bit unclear, so I started looking for my next opportunity. A friend working at Borrego reached out and said they were looking for another construction manager. Given that solar is about 95% electrical, it was a smooth transition for me. I hit the ground running, quickly moved into a senior construction manager role, and ended up overseeing a portfolio of eight or nine projects in Maine, managing a handful of other CMs.
As that role was winding down, I started putting out feelers. I got connected to Mark Anderson (Navisun’s VP of Construction) through a foreman I knew from Florence Electric. He set up an interview, and Mark hired me on the spot. I started as a construction manager at Navisun, handling three projects in Pittsfield and another in Southwick. By that point, I had been a CM for six or seven years, and to be honest, it wasn’t challenging anymore and had become second nature. I’m someone who needs to be mentally engaged and learning.
That’s when Steve Campbell offered me a new role as Senior Field Operations Manager under the Asset Management team. And that’s where I am today.
What do you like most about your new position?
No two days are the same. Right now, I’m basically a glorified maintenance electrician with a fancy title but the role is evolving. It's transitioning into something closer to a hybrid between maintenance lead and project manager. I’m now overseeing third-party electricians and maintenance crews and managing parts, logistics, and overall site health.
How many projects are you currently working on?
All of them. I've already been to at least a dozen sites across our portfolio. I’m conducting site visits, writing detailed reports, and identifying action items to help keep things running smoothly. Lately, I’ve been focused on improving communication across sites,, which has been a key priority in recent weeks.
What brought you to Navisun and to renewable energy more broadly?
Renewable energy still feels like a blossoming industry, even with the policy and regulatory ups and downs. I like how fast it moves as it keeps me learning and adapting. That pace, that constant evolution, is what drew me in and keeps me motivated.
You’ve been at Navisun for nearly two years now. What are you most proud of accomplishing in that time?
I’m proud of juggling four active project sites at once. Back in my previous role at Borrego, I had a large portfolio, but I wasn’t on-site. At Navisun, I was the point person on all four sites, getting one to mechanical completion and pushing the other three there as well before transitioning into my new role. That hands-on experience means a lot to me.
What do you like most about working for Navisun?
Definitely the people. We have a solid team, across departments, full of people who care and want to push the company forward. What I appreciate most is that they actually listen to feedback from the field and make changes based on it. That doesn’t happen at most companies.
Can you walk me through what your average day at Navisun looks like?
At the start of the week, I create a loose game plan based on priorities. For instance, right now, it’s all about production. Summer’s our peak season, so we’re focused on performance. If an inverter is down or there’s a production deficiency, we’re quick to dispatch crews and get it resolved. I’m in regular contact with my manager, Greg, our Director of O&M. He sets the priority list and trusts me to run with it.
I’d also love to hear a little bit more about the asset management side of your work.
Honestly, before I joined the asset management team, I didn’t fully appreciate its role. But now I understand that the energy we produce, and how well we keep systems running, directly impacts the company’s revenue. Unlike construction, where we’re spending money to build, asset management is where we start to see returns. It’s the backbone of keeping the business sustainable.
Navisun recently updated its asset management framework. What has your experience been with those changes?
We’re in the process of transitioning to a software platform called GPM. Right now, we use five to ten different platforms to monitor job sites, which is inefficient and hard to manage. GPM is consolidating those systems, and we’re already seeing improvements. I was just talking to my manager about how it’s more streamlined, it gives you access to everything at your fingertips, and it helps me prioritize and dispatch third-party crews faster.
We’ve also improved our construction-to-asset management handoff process, which used to be clunky. Now we’ve built in better workflows, which has been a huge help.
What inspires you to come to work every day?
I like the industry as it’s constantly changing. I’m always learning and facing new scenarios, and that keeps me engaged. I like having to stay sharp.
Outside of work, how would you spend your ideal day?
With my family. I have a 4-year-old son and a 1.5-year-old daughter, and being a dad is one of the best parts of my life. I try to be really present with them and give them the kind of childhood I didn’t have. I also work out a lot and do some boxing on the side. It keeps me grounded.