WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is shaking up his senior leadership team to deal with the new realities of his term: The era of big legislation is over, his massive re-election effort needs energy and people and the White House is taking a toll on those who run it.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs is resigning and will become an outside political adviser.

Obama’s interim chief of staff, Pete Rouse, may go, too.

Those departures would significantly alter the management of the White House and the way it explains itself to the world.

In the coming days and weeks, Obama is also expected to have a new chief economic adviser, a new senior political counselor, and two new deputy chiefs of staff.

Collectively, the moves reflect that change is coming to the White House in ways that will alter the dynamic of the place — and, in turn, will influence the agenda affecting the nation.

The vice president’s office is in for its own new leadership, with its chief of staff, Ron Klain, leaving to run an investment company.