WASHINGTON (AFP) – Benjamin Jealous, the leader of America’s largest civil rights organization, the NAACP, said he will step down at the end of the year.

The 40-year-old head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said he wants to focus on training future leaders and spend more time with his family.

The former Rhodes scholar and ex-journalist has two young children.

“Beginning next year, I look forward to pursuing opportunities in academia to train the next generation of leaders and, of course, spending a lot more time with my young family,” he said in a statement.

Jealous, who served five years in the top post, told USA Today in an interview out Sunday that he “plans to continue work with civil rights colleagues toward raising money for a fund to promote black participation in politics.”

He also suggested to the paper that the 104-year-old organization might be considering a woman president.

“I’m the 17th president of the NAACP and the 17th man. I do expect that the next president of the NAACP will be different in some way,” he said.