Pros
I have worked here for 5 years and counting. APLU has strong leadership, an important mission, and longstanding relationships with some of the best public research universities across the country. If you're interested in higher ed and want to make a difference, this is the place to be. The work is meaningful, interesting, and fun, and the office culture is relaxed and supportive. Most staff are open communicators who value different opinions and ideas, and actually want to collaborate rather than undermine your work. I've always felt at home here. P.S., the pay and benefits are extremely competitive compared to other higher ed associations.
Kontras
When I first came on board, I found the organizational structure to be hierarchical with little room for growth. Since then, the President has created a lot of opportunities for middle management, so that you can start out entry-level and progress through the ranks. So it's getting better. Like academia, we can be siloed, but over the past 6 months the President has really pushed to collaborate more, by aligning similar initiatives and creating cross-functional working groups.