Coventry City will unveil Iain Dowie as their new manager early next week, BBC Sport understands. Dowie will take over from caretaker boss Adrian Heath, who was installed in the role following Mickey Adams' dismissal on 17 January.
Former Crystal Palace and Oldham boss Dowie has been out of football since leaving Charlton last November.
Dowie turned down the recent vacancy at Hull and was strongly tipped to follow new owner Milan Mandaric to Leicester.
The former Northern Ireland international striker's first game in charge could be against one of the clubs he played for, Southampton, on Tuesday.
Dowie spent a short and controversial spell at Charlton.
He was in charge at The Valley for 12 Premiership games and the Addicks were bottom of the table when he parted company wit the club.
Dowie caused a storm when he left Crystal Palace after two-and-a-half years, ostensibly to move back to the north-west with his family, but then pitched up at neighbours Charlton.
Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan served Dowie with a writ for fraudulent representation.
After a short spell in caretaker charge at QPR in 1998, Dowie's managerial career began in earnest at Oldham in 2002.
During his 18 months in charge at Boundary Park he established enough of a reputation for Palace to come calling.
Dowie further enhanced his reputation as an innovative young coach by getting Palace promoted to the Premiership through the play-offs but he was unable to keep the Eagles in the top flight.