UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 26, 2006
                                                          --------------

                       PROVIDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
                       ----------------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

          Delaware                      001-31566                42-1547151
-----------------------------     ---------------------     -------------------
(State or Other Jurisdiction)     (Commission File No.)      (I.R.S. Employer
      of Incorporation)                                     Identification No.)


830 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey                        07306-4599
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                          (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (201) 333-1000
                                                     --------------

                                 Not Applicable
                                 --------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[ ]  Written communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[ ]  Soliciting  material  pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
     CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ]  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  14d-2(b)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ]  Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to Rule  13e-4(c)  under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))




Item 5.02       Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of
                ---------------------------------------------------------
                Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.
                ---------------------------------------------

     Provident  Financial  Services,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  reported by a news
release dated April 27, 2006 that J. Martin Comey,  whose term expired as of the
Annual  Meeting  date,  and David Leff,  whose term would have  expired in 2007,
retired from the Company's  Board of Directors in accordance  with the Company's
retirement policy for directors.  As a result of these retirements,  the size of
the  Company's  Board of Directors  was reduced from 15 to 13 members.  Both Mr.
Comey and Mr. Leff have been  appointed as Directors  Emeritus of The  Provident
Bank, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary.  A copy of the news release,  which
also reports on the results of the Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders held
on April 26,  2006 is  attached  as  Exhibit  99.1 to this  report  and is being
furnished to the SEC and shall not be deemed "filed" for any purpose.


Item 7.01       Regulation FD Disclosure.
                -------------------------

     The Company  issued a news  release  reporting on the results of its Annual
Meeting of  Stockholders  held on April 26,  2006. A copy of the news release is
attached as Exhibit  99.1 to this report and is being  furnished  to the SEC and
shall not be deemed "filed" for any purpose.

Item 9.01.     Financial Statements and Exhibits
               ---------------------------------

               (a)  Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired. Not applicable.

               (b)  Pro Forma Financial Information. Not applicable.

               (c)  Shell Company Transactions. Not applicable.

               (d)  Exhibits.

               Exhibit No.     Description.
               -----------     ------------

               99.1            New release dated April 27, 2006 reporting on
                               the results of the Company's Annual Meeting of
                               Stockholders and the retirement of two directors.




                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

                                        PROVIDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.



DATE:  April 27, 2006              By:  /s/ Paul M. Pantozzi
                                        ---------------------------------
                                        Paul M. Pantozzi
                                        Chairman and Chief Executive Officer





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit         Description
-------         -----------

99.1            New release dated April 27, 2006 reporting on the results
                of the Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders and the
                retirement of two directors.