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): November 21, 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
------------------------------------------                  ----------
(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.
            ----------------------------------

     (d) On November 21, 2006, the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Provident
Financial  Services,  Inc.  (the  "Company"),  pursuant  to the  By-laws  of the
Company, increased the size of the Board from thirteen to fourteen and appointed
Laura  L.  Brooks  to the  Board.  Ms.  Brooks  has been  added to the  class of
directors  whose term will  expire at the 2008 Annual  Meeting of the  Company's
stockholders.  This  appointment  was made in  anticipation of the Board vacancy
following the scheduled  retirement of Thomas E. Sheenan in 2007. Ms. Brooks has
also been  appointed  to the  Board of  Directors  of The  Provident  Bank,  the
Company's wholly-owned subsidiary.

The  Company  issued  a news  release  on  November  22,  2006 to  announce  the
appointment  of Ms.  Brooks to the Board.  The full text of the news  release is
attached as an Exhibit to this Current Report on Form 8-K 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 Business Acquired. Not applicable.

            (b) Pro Forma Financial Information. Not applicable.

            (c) Shell Company Transactions. Not applicable.

            (d) Exhibits.

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

               99.1                   News release dated November 22, 2006.






                                   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:  November 22, 2006               By: /s/ Paul M. Pantozzi
                                           --------------------------------
                                           Paul M. Pantozzi
                                           Chairman and Chief Executive Officer




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


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

 99.1             News release dated November 22, 2006.