8-K

                                  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): July 16, 2009
                                                           -------------

                       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 1.02  Termination of a Material Definitive Agreement
           ----------------------------------------------

     Upon the  retirement of Linda A. Niro as Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer, effective as of September 29, 2009, as disclosed in Item 5.02
of this Current  Report on Form 8-K, the amended and restated  change in control
agreement that Provident  Financial  Services,  Inc. (the "Company")  previously
entered into with Ms. Niro will  terminate . The amended and restated  change in
control  agreement,  the form of which was filed as an Exhibit to the  Company's
Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December  31,  2008,  would have
provided certain benefits to Ms. Niro in the event of a change in control of the
Company  or The  Provident  Bank  followed  by  the  termination  of Ms.  Niro's
employment,   including  circumstances  that  would  constitute  a  constructive
termination of employment.

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

     On July  16,  2009,  the  Company  and its  wholly  owned  subsidiary,  The
Provident  Bank (the  "Bank"),  announced  that  Linda A. Niro,  Executive  Vice
President and Chief Financial  Officer,  will retire from employment,  effective
September 29, 2009. In exchange for releases of all possible  claims against the
Bank and the Company and Ms.  Niro's  agreement  to be available to consult with
the Bank and Company  following  her  retirement,  the Bank has agreed to make a
lump-sum  payment  to Ms.  Niro  following  her  retirement,  in the  amount  of
$686,695,  subject  to  applicable  withholding  taxes,  and to pay  100% of the
premiums for health care coverage,  dental  insurance,  vision benefits and life
insurance for a period of twenty-four months following her retirement date.

     Effective  upon  Ms.  Niro's  retirement,  Thomas  M.  Lyons,  Senior  Vice
President  and Chief  Accounting  Officer of the Bank,  will assume the title of
Chief Financial Officer of the Company and the Bank.

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                     Press Release dated July 16, 2009.





                                   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:  July 17, 2009               By:  /s/Paul M. Pantozzi
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Paul M. Pantozzi
                                        Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

EX-99.1

                                  NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT: Kenneth J. Wagner, SVP Investor Relations
         Provident Financial Services, Inc.
         (201) 915-5344

FOR RELEASE: 7:45 A.M. Eastern Time: July 16, 2009


       Provident Financial Services, Inc. Announces Retirement of CFO and
                            Designation of Successor


JERSEY CITY, NJ, July 16, 2009 ---/  PRNewswire-First  Call/ Provident Financial
Services,  Inc.  (NYSE:PFS)  (the  "Company")  announced  that  Linda  A.  Niro,
Executive  Vice  President  and Chief  Financial  Officer of the Company and The
Provident Bank, will retire effective September 29, 2009. Thomas M. Lyons, First
Vice  President  and Chief  Accounting  Officer of The  Provident  Bank has been
appointed  Senior Vice  President  and will assume the title of Chief  Financial
Officer of both the Company and The Provident Bank upon Ms. Niro's retirement.

Ms. Niro, who has held many  positions  with The Provident  Bank  throughout her
distinguished  career  spanning  over 30 years,  has  served as Chief  Financial
Officer  of the  Company  since its  formation  in 2003 in  connection  with the
mutual-to-stock conversion of The Provident Bank, and as Chief Financial Officer
of The Provident Bank since 2000. During her career,  Provident has grown from a
primarily Hudson  County-based  savings bank with assets of  approximately  $660
million to a full service  community  bank with over $6 billion in assets and 81
banking offices throughout northern and central New Jersey.

"Linda has played an instrumental  role in leading  Provident through periods of
significant change in the banking industry, and in Provident's transition from a
mutual savings bank to a publicly traded community  banking  company.  We deeply
appreciate her  leadership and  experience,  which have  contributed  greatly to
Provident's  success,"  stated Paul M.  Pantozzi,  Chairman and Chief  Executive
Officer  of the  Company.  "On  behalf  of the  Board  of  Directors,  executive
management  and all employees of  Provident,  we wish Linda the very best in her
future endeavors."

Mr.  Lyons,  who is a CPA,  joined the  Company and The  Provident  Bank in 2004
following the merger of First Sentinel Bancorp,  Inc. with and into the Company.
He was formerly  Executive Vice President and Chief  Financial  Officer of First
Sentinel.  In his current role as Chief Accounting  Officer,  Mr. Lyons oversees
accounting policy and financial reporting.



"While we will miss Linda's experience and leadership,  we are fortunate to have
an  individual  of  Tom's  caliber  and  experience  to step in and  assume  the
responsibilities  of  Chief  Financial  Officer,"  added  Mr.  Pantozzi.  "We're
confident  that Tom's close working  relationship  with Linda over the past five
years will allow for a seamless transition of responsibilities."

About the Company

Provident  Financial  Services,  Inc. is the holding  company for The  Provident
Bank, a  community-oriented  bank offering a full range of retail and commercial
loan and deposit  products.  The Provident Bank officially marked its 170th year
of existence  this year,  having been  established  in 1839.  The Provident Bank
currently operates 82 full service branches  throughout northern and central New
Jersey.



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