Adams became manager of Ross County in 2007, winning promotion from the Scottish Second Division in his first season, before reaching the Scottish Cup Final two years later. He joined Hibernian as assistant manager in 2010 before returning to Ross County the following year, where he won the Scottish First Division and was voted PFA Scotland Manager of the Year for the 2011–12 season. Having left Plymouth in April 2019, he became manager of Morecambe in November. He would guide the club to promotion to League One in 2021, before leaving to take over at Bradford.