Commercial & Hires Officer

Polka Theatre is a pioneering and uniquechildren's theatre venue, staging exceptionalproductions and developing industry-leading Creative Learning experiences which are accessible for all children to enjoy.In 2024 we won the UK Theatre Award for Most Welcoming Theatre, as well as Merton Best Business.In 2026 we received two Olivier Award nominations.

Polka Theatre in Wimbledon is seeking an energetic, commercially-minded and proactive Commercial & Hires Officer to work closely with the Head of Operationsand Visitor Services,facilitatingcommercial income generation to support Polka's core charitable activities.

Could Polka be looking for you?
  • Do you have a passion for commercial success and an understanding of social values?
  • Would you like to bring your retail and entrepreneurial skills to a pioneering national theatre for children?
  • Do you have an enthusiasm for accuracy and financial acumen?
What would you be doing?

You will play an important role, as part of the Operations and Visitor Services team, exploring ways to maximise earned income opportunities for Polka. You will be responsible for sustaining and growing key commercial aspects of Polka's activities, including our small but imaginative shop which sells educational gifts, toys, books and merchandise. You will drive and oversee hiring out our building's spaces, in-line with Polka's values, to achieve important income targets. You will also work closely with our Café Chef / Manager to proactively explore and drive the commercial opportunities that our café can provide, and support financial administration and marketing of the café and catering opportunities.

We want to help people achieve their potential while working at Polka. We prioritise our mental health and the culture of working at Polka by having regular team days to share and learn from each other and a range of social events. We invest in our people through training opportunities which help us learn and understand more about working together.

Please note this role is full‑time, normally working across a 5 day week Sunday to Thursday, with flexibility based on the operational needs of the organisation. Weekend and evening work will be required.

Salary: is£28,500-£31,500per year depending on experience.

Hours: you will need to work are35 hoursper week(excludingan hour lunch break), normally within the hours of 8:30am to 6pm.Youwillworkina varyingshiftpatternover a 5-day working weekbetween Sunday and Thursday. Regular weekendworkwill berequiredto fulfil the requirements of the role and meet the needs of the organisation alongside other team members.You may need to work someadditionalhours, including evenings and weekends, and travel out of London whenrequired(weoperatea Time OffInLieu, 'TOIL' system).

Deadline 9am on 26 October 2026

Interview week commencing 2 November 2026 (a second interview will be held if necessary)

Ideal start date from 20 November 2026

Polka's commitment as an equal opportunities employer means we are keen to encourage applications from people of colour, people across the gender spectrum and people who self-identify as disabled, who are underrepresented in our sector.

Polka is funded by Arts Council England. Registered charity number 256979.

#J-18808-Ljbffr
Back to blog

Other Jobs To Apply

No other job posts for this day.

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...